A Path She Couldn't Follow
by Air Force Muffin
Summary: Ahsoka Tano was unprepared to be alone and powerless when the Jedi Order cast her out. However, by her luck, she was found by an old friend, and in the waning days of the Clone Wars, she sought desperately to remain involved in the fate of the galaxy. But in doing so, she set a new course for herself, changing her destiny and the fate of everyone around her. AU.
1. Chapter 1: Moving On

**Chapter 1: Moving On**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

Getting run through by a lightsaber hurt. A lot.

Ahsoka's dream started normally enough. She was in a dim hallway of the Jedi Temple, wearing a plain set of robes. But everything felt wrong. Instead of the calm that permeated the Temple's atmosphere, fear and despair roiled the air. The more she concentrated on the Force, the worse it felt. Death was all around her. Lives were falling like rain, each loss creating a powerful ripple in the Force. Blaster fire sounded in the distance. But most noticeably, a breathtakingly dark presence was sweeping through the building, annihilating everything in its path. The presence felt so horribly corrupted that she choked, falling to her hands and knees, as she tried to block it out. But it remained, and to her horror, she realized that it was coming towards her. She managed to push herself up onto her feet, and grasped for her lightsabers, but they were gone from her side.

The sounds of a furious lightsaber battle echoed from around the corner of the hall. Ahsoka threw herself into a recess in the wall just as a Jedi wielding a green lightsaber backed into view, defending himself against a ferocious onslaught from someone with a red-bladed lightsaber. She recognized the Jedi as Cin Drallig, the Temple Battlemaster. She couldn't see Drallig's opponent except for the red glow of its lightsaber. But whoever it was, Drallig was losing. He was giving too much ground and visibly tiring, while the relentless attack of the other showed no signs of slowing. Without intervention, Drallig would be defeated. Ahsoka edged forward, meaning to help.

But before she could reach the fight, the assailant found a hole in Drallig's defenses and slashed the red blade through his hand, disarming him and sending the green lightsaber clattering to the floor. Moments later, the blade flashed again, and Drallig's head joined his weapon on the floor.

The Force screamed in her head, and Ahsoka fought back a gasp as she sprang back into the shadows. Drallig was one of the most accomplished Jedi in the Order. To overcome him would require monumental skill. The only one who could do that would be Dooku, but that Sith couldn't be Dooku. Its style had been very different from the precise strokes of the Makashi form that the Count practiced.

Silence fell on the corridor. The Sith shut off its lightsaber, and after standing still for a moment, started down the hall towards Ahsoka's hiding spot.

She backed up, flattening herself against the wall, her blood pounding, as the soft footsteps of the Sith drew closer. Its proximity made the darkness so horribly intense that her head ached. She quieted her breathing and concentrated on making her presence in the Force as small as possible. But, as it was about to pass by her, the footsteps stopped.

Her heart skipped a beat.

The only sound was the Sith's quiet, measured breathing. It stood directly in front of her hiding place, making no inclination to show that it knew she was there.

Suddenly, it ignited its lightsaber and darted straight towards her, and before she could react, the lightsaber was buried in her chest. A burning pain erupted throughout her torso, silencing the scream that was struggling to escape her throat. She tried to look up and see the face of the mysterious Sith, but she couldn't even manage the strength to do that. The Temple dissolved around her, and she fell down into an endless gray expanse, the excruciating pain in her chest intensifying and-

The pain vanished suddenly, and Ahsoka jerked upright, gasping. For several seconds, she stayed frozen, trying to make sense of where she was. The Sith was gone. She was lying on a couch in a dark room, while a holoscreen flickered in the corner. She wasn't in the Jedi Temple.

She sank back down. It had been a dream. Just a dream. She'd fallen asleep while watching the holoscreen. This was the room that she'd rented two days ago.

She turned her head toward the holoscreen and saw a stern-faced human reporter talking.

"-with that, we conclude our report. Thank you, and remember, as always, that the Galactic Republic never forgets about its citizens."

Ahsoka fumbled around for the remote, finally finding it lodged under one of the couch cushions, and shut off the holoscreen. She worked herself up into a sitting position and stared at the blank screen. A hazy reflection of her stared back. It had been two days. Two days since the Galactic Republic forgot about her.

She rose from the couch, stretched, and walked to the window. Gazing out, she saw that it was still the middle of the night. Instead of the quiet of her quarters in the Jedi Temple, massive cargo ships endlessly rumbled by her small room in Coruscant's freight district. The endless stream of traffic outside obscured the horizon, but she knew that she was facing north towards the Jedi Temple. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine walking up the front steps of the Temple and in the doors; then taking the turbolift up to the nineteenth floor, where her quarters were-

She blinked. No. She couldn't keep thinking about the past. What was done was done. This was her life now, and this was the choice she'd made.

"Now what?" she asked quietly, turning away from the window.

Now what, indeed. She had no idea what to do. All she had on her was some changes of clothes, a few credits, and a box of her belongings from the Jedi Temple, with her lightsabers conspicuously absent.

One thing was for sure: she had to get off Coruscant. Away from the peaceful confines of the Jedi Temple, the planet's endless city felt dense and suffocating.

But where to go? The only home that Ahsoka had ever known was the Jedi Temple. She had no family that she could remember, and nearly all of her friends had been Jedi. Her few friends that weren't Jedi- Riyo, Lux- she had no idea how to contact any of them.

The reality that she was very, very alone settled over her.

The feeling of crushing distress was nearly overwhelming. In search of an anchor, she reached out into the Force, drawing on her meditation techniques. She closed her eyes.

 _Breathe._

Expel the misery.

 _Breathe._

Expel the sadness.

 _Breathe._

Expel the confusion.

 _Breathe._

 _Breathe._

 _Breathe._

She was startled out of her trance by the growling of her stomach. The sun had risen and was streaming through the windows by now, illuminating the room. It was about mid-morning now. The meditation had done its job, leaving her with a renewed calm.

She bent over her food cooler, pulled out a take-out box left over from her dinner yesterday, and sank down on the couch, turning on the holoscreen and flipping to the HoloNet News as she dug into the cold meat kebabs.

She watched the war updates intently, but it quickly became clear that the Republic was still controlling the war news that reached the public. Nothing but Republic victories were mentioned, and Ahsoka knew for a fact that they weren't doing _that_ well. Sure, the broadcast may have been good for morale, but it frustrated her because she had no idea what was actually going on. There was nothing being broadcast that either she didn't know about already, or that was of actual significance.

She set aside her now-empty food container and sighed. She _had_ to get back into the war. She wasn't a Jedi anymore, but she cared too much to just let the war play itself out. Not while people like Gunray and Grievous were still alive.

But how to help? There was the option of simply _enlisting_ in the Republic army… But then she would be under the command of the Order again. And she was finished with following orders from the Jedi. Enlisting was not an option.

Not enlisting made getting into the war would be a lot harder, though. The Republic strictly forbid civilian travel to any disputed planets. Maybe she could get a job on a freighter… But then, of course the problem was that no sane freighter captain would bring cargo near an active war zone. And she couldn't even buy her own ship, because she had only a few credits to her name.  
And that was her biggest problem. No credits meant that she was stuck on Coruscant no matter how many opportunities came up.

She turned her attention back to the news broadcast.

"-and now an update on the situation on Cato Neimoida. Intense fighting continues across the planet. Both sides are in a fierce stalemate. Republic forces have begun making a push for Narkalm, one of the key cities in the planet's southern regions, and Separatist forces are being engaged across the entire planet. Analysts calculate that the planet will be liberated by the Republic in as little as-"

Ahsoka shut off the holoscreen. Cato Neimoidia… Her last battle before she left the Order. A planet with a very much undecided war raging on it. She would dearly love to help take Gunray's home planet away from him.

An event from several months ago came back to her. It had been on Cato Neimoidia, just days before getting recalled to Coruscant. She and Rex had visited a smuggler who claimed to have inside information on the Separatists. Except, he didn't. One chase through the city later, the smuggler got away with a thousand credit's worth of spices, leaving Ahsoka and Rex empty-handed. However, Rex had noticed a Coruscant Vehicular Identification Number printed on the side of the ship, and they'd meant to report the ship to Customs Enforcement on Coruscant, but the Temple bombing had prevented that from ever happening.

However, Ahsoka still had the number committed to memory, and there was a chance, however small, that this smuggler was on Coruscant right now.

A plan began to form in her head, and she powered up her datapad. Vehicle identification numbers were supposed to be confidential, but she had enough security clearance to get her into the government records. That was, if the Jedi hadn't disabled her passwords yet. It was a chance she'd have to take. When the prompt for a password came up, Ahsoka entered her personal clearance codes and waited nervously as they were processed.

With a _ping_ , the system let her in.

"Thank the Force," she muttered, tapping on the search bar and typing in the ID number.

A second later, an answer to her search popped up, and a smile spread over her face. The smuggler was here on Coruscant, docked at a spaceport in the Freight District.

Here was someone who could get her to Cato Neimoidia. Smugglers were all alike to her- concerned only for their own lives and their money. A threat to turn him in, coupled with a stack credits, could be enough to convince the smuggler to get her to Cato Neimoidia with no questions asked.

But where would she get the money?

Ahsoka leaned back on the couch with a frustrated sigh. Certainly not by any criminal means, however enticing it could seem. Entering an active war zone as a civilian was already illegal enough, and she didn't need to attract unwanted attention from the Order by committing other crimes.

So what could she do, then? She could get a job, although by the time she would be able to get together enough credits, it was possible that the war would actually be over. There weren't many entry-level jobs that paid more than the bare minimum needed to live.

It seemed like she was well and truly stuck. This wasn't what she'd envisioned after leaving the Jedi.

Ahsoka shook her head. Even in such a bad situation, she still didn't regret her choice. It had taken Barriss's fall for her to realize just how much the Order had slipped, but now that she could see it, going back to them was _not_ an option. She would rather be trapped here than be 'free' amongst the people who had condemned her to death.

Still. What in the Force could she do now?

Then, by one of the greatest coincidences in the universe, there was a knock on the door.

Ahsoka jerked in surprise and looked up, wondering if she'd imagined the sound, until the knock came again. She got up, moving cautiously.

"If opportunity knocks…" she muttered in disbelief, reaching for the door.

When she opened it, she had to resist the urge to turn and run when she saw who was waiting.

A blue-armored Senate Guard stood there with a blaster slung over its back.

Ahsoka swallowed her panic and forced herself to speak calmly. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"Ahsoka Tano?" the guard asked in a female voice.

"Yes…" Ahsoka said cautiously.

The Senate Guard took off her helmet, revealing a brown human face with curly black hair. "I'm Jorys Solant. Pleased to meet you." She held out a gloved hand.

"Oh, er, hello," Ahsoka said, shaking Jorys's hand. "What brings you here?"

"I'm from the Senate Guard," Jorys replied. "Senator Riyo Chuchi wanted to speak with you."

* * *

Ahsoka gazed out the window of the speeder, watching the skyline of Coruscant flash by. Having agreed to go with Solant to see Riyo, they were now weaving their way through the gleaming buildings of the Senate District.

She idly ran her hands over the stitching in the gray seat, and wondered how Riyo was doing. The last time they'd talked had been… Oh, Force. Months. Her brief break from the action after Onderon was the last time she'd seen Riyo in person. And everything had changed. How different would things be between them now?

After a few minutes, she looked up at Jorys. The senate guard was sitting on the other side of the speeder, her helmet balanced on her knee.

"What do you do in the Senate Guard?" she asked, trying to make conversation.

"I'm part of Senator Chuchi's personal security detail."

"Oh? Is Riyo in danger?"

"Don't worry, the senator's all right," Jorys assured. "After the assassination attempt on the Chancellor last month, a bunch of senators asked for personal protection, so this is normal. With the war and everything, security's a big deal. There's been a significant increase in assassination attempts since the start of the war, so we've got to be vigilant. We're on duty nonstop. " She glanced out the window. "Get ready to depart- We're here."

Ahsoka looked out. Directly to the left was one of the tallest and grandest buildings on Coruscant: 500 Republica, the home of the Republic's most prestigious citizens. The speeder turned left and headed towards the massive building.

They entered a sizable hangar in the side of he building and came to a gentle stop. Jorys stood up, pulling on her helmet, and swung her gun over her back. "Follow me," she said, exiting the speeder.

Ahsoka obliged and followed her through a crowd of Senate Guards and clones until they arrived at a wall of turbolifts. After a short ride, they got out and entered a long hall. She followed Jorys down the hall until they came to a stop at a door guarded by a single Senate guard.

"Evening, Edose," Jorys said to the guard. "Any trouble?"

"Hello, Jorys," the guard replied in a male voice. "Everything's been quiet." He inclined his head at Ahsoka. "Is she the friend the Senator was talking about?"

"Yup," Jorys said. "This is Ahsoka Tano. You might've heard of her."

"Pleased to meet you," Edose said, turning to her.

Ahsoka swallowed back a stab of nervousness as the other guard scrutinized her from behind his faceless visor. But he turned back to Jorys without any sign of trouble.

"I don't think the Senator is busy right now," he said to Jorys.

"Thanks." Jorys moved by him and opened the door, gesturing for Ahsoka to follow. They entered the suite, and Jorys tapped on her comlink.

"Senator Chuchi, it's Captain Solant. I have Ahsoka Tano with me," she said, speaking into it.

There was a pause, and then Ahsoka's heart rose as Riyo's familiar voice came out of the comlink.

"I'm in my office. Tell her she can come in immediately."

Jorys nodded and shut off her comlink. "This way," she said, inclining her head at a door to the left.

As Ahsoka entered the office, her breath caught as she got her first good look at Riyo in months. She was sitting behind a large wooden desk in casual clothing; looking down at a datapad, with her purple hair tied back in neat braids.

As Jorys slid the door closed behind them, Riyo spoke, not looking up.

"I'd like to speak to Ahsoka alone, Jorys," she said.

"Senator, are you sure-" Jorys started to protest, but Riyo cut her off.

"I'm sure, Jorys," she said firmly. "I'll contact you if there's any trouble."

"All right, then." Jorys turned and walked out of the room, leaving Ahsoka and Riyo alone.

When the door slid shut behind Jorys, Riyo looked up for the first time, and Ahsoka got her first good look at her in months. She didn't look any different. Maybe a little older, maybe a little more tired, but this was still the friend that Ahsoka had gotten to know well.

For a few long seconds, Riyo said nothing as she stared at Ahsoka, her expression unreadable. Ahsoka held her breath, waiting for the reaction.

"Ahsoka!" A brilliant smile spread over Riyo's face, and she stood up, coming out from behind the desk. "Thank the Republic that you're safe!" She threw her arms around Ahsoka and hugged her fiercely.

Ahsoka relaxed. Riyo certainly didn't seem to be holding anything between them, then. "It's good to see you too, Riyo," she said, returning the hug. "It's been a while."

"I'll say," Riyo said, stepping back. She gestured at a chair in front of her desk. "Here, sit down. It's late. You must be tired."

"Thanks." Ahsoka sank gratefully into the armchair. "So… How are you?"

"Oh, well enough," Riyo said. She leaned against her desk. "I haven't done anything too exciting in a while-" She paused, adopting a thoughtful expression. "That might change soon, though…" She trailed off.

"So, um, is there a specific reason why you wanted to see me?" Ahsoka asked. Then, realizing that the question sounded much ruder than she'd intended, she backtracked. "Not that you need a reason- I mean- I was just wondering- if you just wanted to talk to me, that's fine-"

Riyo gave a small laugh, stopping Ahsoka. "Don't worry. I had a reason for finding you." She picked up a pen from her desk and fiddled absently with it. "Anyway, first things first." Suddenly, her expression darkened, and she clenched the pen in her hand. "I'm _so_ thankful that you survived that awful ordeal, Ahsoka."

Ahsoka stiffened. "I… I'm glad, too. I'm just happy it's over."

"The courage you must have needed… to leave the Jedi Order; to leave your whole life behind you…" Riyo shook her head. "I can only imagine having that kind of bravery. I was there at your trial, watching it."

"You… For the entire trial?" Ahsoka asked. "From start to finish? Everything?"

Riyo nodded. "Everything. It was horrible. I… I couldn't bear the thought of what was going to happen… but they were going to do it. They were going to kill you."

"Yes… They were." Ahsoka was at a loss for words as unpleasant memories flashed through her head. She hadn't seen Riyo in the courts, and she could only imagine what the Senator had thought as she watched.

"This must be a trying time for you," Riyo continued. "You're practically starting your life over, right?"

"Yeah." Ahsoka slumped down in her chair. "Pretty much."

"I want to help you," Riyo said slowly. "I have an offer for you.

Ahsoka looked up. "An offer?"

"I'll need to explain some things first."

"Go ahead. I'm listening," Ahsoka said, sitting up straighter.

Riyo sat down behind her desk. "Well, to start, there's a new bill being brought through the Senate," she began. "This bill- it's called the Sector Governance Bill. It would create the position of regional governors of planetary systems and give the Chancellor the power to appoint them."

She scowled. "I _violently_ oppose this bill. It goes against the values that the Republic was founded on. If the Chancellor had the sole power to elect governors of entire planetary systems, he would have nearly absolute power. The Senate would become almost useless." Riyo sighed. "But my opposition has attracted trouble. There are plenty of higher-ups in the Senate who are hoping that they will be chosen as a regional governor if the bill is enacted. They don't like my opposition. I'm afraid that there might be trouble."

"What sort of trouble?" Ahsoka asked, concern welling up in her. "Are you in danger?"

"Yes," Riyo said. "I won't put off the question any longer."

"This is the highest stage in the galaxy. I don't doubt the ruthlessness of some of my colleagues in the Senate, especially over a bill as polarizing as this one. Ahsoka, would you be willing to be my bodyguard?"

Ahsoka blinked. Of the things that she had been expecting when she walked into Riyo's office, this wasn't one of them. "How…?"

"I would hire you as my personal bodyguard, but you would basically be a Senate Guard, like Jorys."

Ahsoka nodded, still unsure. "I don't know if I'd be allowed to…"

"Don't worry. I can take care of the legal matters."

"Well…" Ahsoka said. "I… Would you be paying me?" Credits were the one thing that she needed right now.

"I thought that five hundred and fifty credits per week would be a good salary," Riyo said.

 _Five hundred and fifty credits per week!_

Ahsoka stood up so fast that she almost knocked over her seat, excitement rising up in her. "Five hundred and fifty credits per week?!"

 _This_ was the money she needed. "I'm in!" she said quickly. Then, composing herself, she held out her hand. "Of course. I would be honored to be your bodyguard, Riyo."

"Thank you so much," Riyo said, looking visibly relieved as they shook hands.

Satisfaction settled over Ahsoka as a piece of her plan fell into place. There was a way off Coruscant for her now. She wasn't done with this war just yet.

* * *

Later that night, in the southwest tower of the Jedi Temple, two Jedi stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Council room, looking out at the skyline of Coruscant: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.

"Ahsoka accessed the private records to look up a small freighter," Obi-Wan said, glancing at a datapad in his hand.

Anakin nodded. "Anything special about the freighter?"

"The ship's owned by a suspected smuggler. The Customs Enforcement Division is investigating him. He's been shipping Neimoidian goods here for several months now, and claims that he's getting them from a dealer on Elcorth, but Customs thinks that he might be illegally getting them from Cato Neimoidia. There isn't much else on him."

"Well, I can tell you two things about him right now," Anakin said.  
"Oh?"

"He's a smuggler, and his goods are coming from Cato Neimoidia."

"What makes you say that?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Don't you see? Ahsoka's trying to get a ride to Cato Neimoida from him." He shook his head. "I should've guessed this. She's trying to rejoin the war."

"Oh," Obi-Wan said quietly. "She's not going to like the Council's decision, then."

"She'll hate it," Anakin said sadly. They were silent for a moment, and then he groaned.

"I've taught her too well. If I was in her situation, I would do the same thing."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "To be honest, we all failed her. I won't be trying too hard to stop her from leaving. She deserves a chance to forge her own future, after everything that's happened to her."

"Tell that to the Council," Anakin said gloomily.

"I didn't like the Council's latest decision on her, either," Obi-Wan said. "It was a paranoid move caused by the fallout from Barriss Offee's betrayal."

Anakin scowled. "In fairness, nobody saw Offee's betrayal coming. They're probably afraid that Ahsoka's going to do the same thing."

"Hm."

"I miss her, Obi-Wan," he said abruptly in a tone thick with pain. "You wouldn't understand. She was like family to me."

Obi-Wan didn't reply.

"You're not going to lecture me on attachment?" Anakin asked.

"I won't, because at the moment, that would be hypocritical of me," Obi-Wan said mournfully.

Understanding passed over Anakin's face, and the two Jedi returned to silence, watching the streets of Coruscant below.

 **A/N: So what do you think? Please leave a review! If you find a typo in the story, don't hesitate to point it out.**


	2. Chapter 2: A New Place

**Chapter 2: A New Place**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

Jedi weren't supposed to own material possessions.

That was probably the most ignored rule in the Order, Ahsoka mused to herself, as she levitated a box of her personal items into her new room. She set the box down and surveyed her living space. Her new home for the foreseeable future was a guest room inside Riyo's expansive suite. It was well-furnished, with a private refresher, a queen-sized bed, and a holoscreen in the corner, among other things. Much better than her seedy room in the Freight District.

She reached into the box and started pulling out things from her old Temple room. There were some cloaks and robes, and a few of her combat outfits. Some old books on meditation and Jedi doctrines. A lamp. A little model of a _Venator_ -class Republic Cruiser that Anakin had made for her.

Everything else in the box was bare essentials, except for three framed pictures at the bottom of the box. These were perhaps her most treasured possessions, now that her lightsabers were gone. One by one, she pulled the pictures out.

The top picture was a propaganda poster from the start of the war. On the front, Anakin was striking a pose with his lightsaber. She was crouched behind him, with her saber behind her back and her lips curled into a smirk, looking younger and much more innocent. Ahsoka looked sadly at her younger self. Back then she had thought that the smirk was a sign of confidence. Now it just looked childish and petulant. A fitting description of how much had changed.

She put the poster aside and took out the next picture. It was a formal GAR release- a picture of the 501st legion inside the hangar bay of the _Resolute_. She, Anakin, Rex, and Admiral Yularen stood front and center in the picture, with the entire legion behind them. A small caption read, _The 501_ _st_ _Legion, with Jedi General A. Skywalker, Second-in-Command Jedi A. Tano, Clone Captain CT-7567, and Admiral W. Yularen_. The shot had been taken later in the war, but not recently, as her montrals were slightly longer, but her shoto was still absent from her belt.

The last picture, however, wasn't a propaganda poster or governmental release. This one was personal. When Ahsoka had been fighting with the 212th on Umbara, a journalist from Coruscant had been there, reporting on the battle and taking pictures, and he had given this picture to her.

In the photograph, she was sitting on a log, with a pot of water being heated on a small stove in front of her. She had a tired look on her face, and there was a smear of dirt across her forehead. The glowing plants native to Umbara gave the entire scene an ethereal glow. She could remember the exact moment when the picture had been taken. But that wasn't what made the picture so special. The other person in the picture, looking even more miserable, was Barriss Offee.

* * *

 ** _Six months ago_**

Umbara was a nightmare.

They had been fighting nearly nonstop since they landed. The 212th had been slogging through the wilderness towards the capital for a week now, and each new day brought another wave of ferocious conflict. The planet seemed designed to kill anyone who invaded. The forests were thick and boggy, slowing the advance of the troops, and the dense brush provided perfect cover for deadly ambushes. The animals within the woods were wild, predatory, and almost impossible to kill. They had lost four squads to the vixuses alone. And since the Umbarans could attack at anytime, she had barely rested in days. The perpetual darkness of the planet was starting to affect her, too. Every shadow could be an enemy soldier sneaking through the darkness. Any unidentified light could be an electro-bug skittering across the ground to deliver a deadly shock. The entire planet was her enemy.

Here, sitting on a log in freezing temperatures in a temporary camp and trying to conserve her body heat over a tiny stove, she wondered if they would ever conquer this planet, or if she was stuck in some sort of endless combat, with the Umbarans slowly beating them to death.

Next to her, Barriss let out a stifled sob. Whatever Umbara was doing to Ahsoka, it was affecting Barriss ten times as much. The enemy they were fighting this time was an army of sentients, not Separatist battle droids. The difference was that they could feel the scream in the Force every time an enemy soldier was cut down. Ahsoka had managed to swallow her revulsion and tell herself that she was doing this for the Republic, but Barriss was a wreck. Since the start of the invasion, she had barely said a word. The misery coming off her was plain enough in the Force, though. Ahsoka pitied her. Barriss was a healer, not a fighter. She shouldn't have been on Umbara, but the Council, shorthanded on available Jedi, had pushed Barriss and her master into combat. And Barriss's master, Luminara Unduli, wasn't here to comfort Barriss, either. Barriss's master had been fighting the Separatist forces above the planet for weeks now. The only person on the entire planet that could even begin to understand Barriss's crisis was Ahsoka.

She laid an arm across Barriss's back. Barriss reflexively jerked away. But when she looked up at Ahsoka, and Ahsoka tried to give her an encouraging gaze, she hesitantly scooted closer.

"Thank you," Barriss whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Ahsoka couldn't think of anything to say, but in her head, she wondered if Barriss, one of the most grounded Jedi that she knew, could be broken by this war, how long would it be before _she_ cracked?

* * *

Ahsoka gazed at the picture for a long time. Barriss's fall must have begun on Umbara. On that ghastly planet, under such extreme stress, it would have been too easy for a plan of dissent to start forming in her head. In a way, the picture marked the beginning of Ahsoka's end as a Jedi.

Reaching a decision, she put the picture down on her dresser. This was why she had left the Jedi Order. Barriss's fall was just one injustice among many that the Order was turning a blind eye to. The picture would be a reminder.

"Congratulations."

The voice pulled Ahsoka out of her thoughts, and she turned around to find Jorys leaning against the doorframe. "Congratulations on what?"

"This is yours." Jorys tossed Ahsoka a booklet.

"What's this?" Ahsoka asked, catching it.

"That's your security pass," Jorys said. "Don't lose that. It'll let you go anywhere in the Senate District. Gives you the same clearance as a Senate Guard."

As Ahsoka pocketed the booklet, Jorys bent down and reached for something in the hallway. "Also, I got your armor," she added, lugging a crate into the room. "You'll need to blend in with the other Senate

"Will the helmet fit?" Ahsoka asked. "My montrals don't-"

"Don't worry about that," Jorys said, waving it off. "This one was specifically made for you." She opened the crate and started unwrapping the packaging. She tossed Ahsoka a pair of dark blue shin guards. "Put the armor on. The pieces should snap into place."

Ahsoka put on the pieces of the armor as Jorys handed them to her, and she had just finished tugging on the gloves when Jorys took the helmet out of the crate. Where the top of the helmet would have been, two rounded bumps jutted upward, creating a space for her montrals.

"This should fit," Jorys said, handing the helmet to her. "Try it on."

Ahsoka pulled it down onto her head. It slid smoothly on, with her montrals fitting snugly into the space accommodated for them.

"It fits perfectly," she said.

"Okay," Jorys said. "How does the armor feel? Nothing's too loose or too tight?"

"Not at all."

"All right. Have a seat," Jorys said, gesturing to the bed. Ahsoka sat down on her bed, taking off her helmet, as Jorys seated herself in the desk chair. She fixed Ahsoka with a critical eye before speaking. "I've been serving in the Senate Guard for twelve years," she said, tapping her fingers together. "I've been a captain for four years. Even if Senator Chuchi hired you independently, and even though you're not _officially_ a senate guard, I'll be your commanding officer. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No."

"Good." Jorys looked Ahsoka directly in the eye with a hard gaze. "I don't know what you were taught in the Jedi Order, but as a Senate Guard, you're expected to serve the Republic with your life. It's your duty to keep Senator Chuchi alive, even if that means dying. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal clear," Ahsoka said.

Jorys nodded. "Senator Chuchi seems to know what she's doing. I'll trust her choice in bodyguards. Although-" Jorys looked Ahsoka up and down. "Tano, your records said that you're _eighteen_ standard years old?"

"Yeah."

"Hell," Jorys muttered, "When I was eighteen, I was sneaking out of the Senate Guard academy to go have embarrassing encounters with alcohol."

"Senator Chuchi's about your age, too. Are today's heroes getting younger, or am I just getting older?"

"Uh-"

Jorys waved her off. "No need to answer that. Rhetorical question. I know the answer."

"Oh- okay," Ahsoka said, relieved.

Jorys's expression returned to seriousness. "One more thing, Tano. About the recent events that caused you to leave the Jedi Order."

Her throat suddenly dry, Ahsoka looked down and tried to fight the nervousness welling up in her. "If you think that I'm-"

"I know for a fact that you're innocent," Jorys said, interrupting her. "I'll judge you based on your ability, but I will _not_ be judging you based on whatever happened in the last couple of weeks. The Galactic Republic said that you're innocent. End of story."

"Thank you," Ahsoka said, relief washing over her.

"Great," Jorys said, standing up and clapping Ahsoka on the shoulder. "Now that's all out of the way. I've never had the privilege of working with a Jedi before. Should be interesting."

"Yeah." Ahsoka glanced around. "So is it just us two working for Riyo, or-"

"Oh, right." Jorys slapped her forehead. "Let me introduce you to your other squadmate.

She spoke into her comlink. "Hey, Edose, meet our new squad partner."

A few minutes later, a Pau'an Senate guard loped into the room.

"Ahsoka, this is Edose Bauon. I've known him since our days in basic training together. Edose, this is Ahsoka Tano. She's half my age and taller than me, which is completely unfair."

"Hello. Pleased to meet you," Edose said, in a calm, lightly accented voice, holding out a hand.

"Hi," Ahsoka said, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Jorys clapped a hand on Edose's shoulder. "You'll like Edose," she said. "He's got a nice streak a mile long. Sometimes it gets in the way of his job. Let me tell you about this time he-"

As Jorys launched into a tale of a street chase from years ago, with interjections from Edose, Ahsoka relaxed. She'd had her worries, but it seemed like she would get along well with her new partners.

* * *

"So what do you think of my new outfit?" Ahsoka asked, as she took off her helmet and dropped into one of the chairs in Riyo's office.

Riyo looked up and eyed Ahsoka's armor appraisingly. "It suits you well," she said with a smile.

"You think so?" Ahsoka asked.

"I do. Blue looks good on you," Riyo said.

"Thanks."

They were silent for several minutes. Riyo returned to her work, intently studying a sheet of flimsi in front of her. From time to time, she would mutter under her breath or frown, and scribble something on a datapad next to her.

Ahsoka remained seated, watching her, while trying to ignore a ball of dread that was growing in her stomach. Ever since laying eyes on Riyo yesterday, a gnawing fear had made itself known in her mind. Every second that she didn't have an answer to the question, the fear would only get worse. She steeled herself and opened her mouth.

"Riyo?"

"Hm?" Riyo asked, not looking up.

"I need to ask you something."

Something in Ahsoka's tone must have sounded off, because Riyo looked up fully and pushed aside her work. "I'm listening, Ahsoka. What is it?"

In the face of her rapidly dwindling courage, Ahsoka struggled to get the words to the question out of her mouth. "Did you- Riyo, did you ever- ever think-"

Riyo tilted her head perplexedly at Ahsoka. "Did I ever what?"

She finally managed to choke it out. "Riyo, did you ever think that I was guilty of the bombing?"

Riyo's faced transformed from confused to shocked, and she opened her mouth and closed it, only to open it again. "I-"

But before she could get any further, Jorys stuck her head into the room.

"Chairman Papanoida just arrived, Senator."

Riyo jerked up in surprise. "What? Oh, g-good. Show him in, Jorys."

"Will do." Jorys jerked her head at Ahsoka. "Helmet on, Tano. Got to look professional for the first day on the job."

Ahsoka resisted the urge to scream. Of all of the times for an interruption-

She clamped down on her emotions as hard as she could, stood up and pulled on her helmet, and folded her arms behind her back. Several moments later, Chairman Papanoida entered the room, with Jorys next to him.

"Thank you, Jorys," Riyo said, her tone suddenly businesslike. "You are dismissed." She turned to face Papanoida. "Chairman, have a seat. We have much to discuss."

"Thank you, Senator," Papanoida said, sitting down in the seat that Ahsoka had just vacated. "Now, you wanted to speak to me about the Sector Governance Bill?"

"Yes."

Papanoida leaned forward in his seat. "How did you plan on voting on the bill?"

"I am firmly against it," Riyo said.

"Ah." Papanoida shifted, an uneasy look crossing his face. "Senator, please try to hear me out. If I may speak my mind-"

"Chairman?" Riyo said, as her voice took on an icy edge. "Do you have something to tell me?"

"The bill could be favorable to Pantora," Papanoida said. "I think it would be best for us to vote in favor of it."

Riyo frowned. "I don't share the same opinion as you, Chairman. Can you explain your stance?"

"Well, for one, it aims to speed up the end of the war," Papanoida said. "By appointing a governor to control newly captured systems in the Outer Rim Territories, we can keep order and quell any Separatist uprisings that might occur."

"That's the only part of the bill that I don't entirely disagree with," Riyo conceded. "It is true that we need a way to restore order in the Outer Rim. That seems to be what's drawing in the more sensible supporters."

"So there is a chance that you could vote for this bill?" Papanoida asked.

"Never in its current iteration," Riyo said. "I'm suspicious of the rest of the Governance Bill. It claims to be designed for the Outer Rim Territories, but then why does it also include the rest of the Republic in the list of areas to be placed under governorship?"

"I was aware of that," Papanoida said. "I see this as an advantage to our planet."

"How so?"

"If the bill was passed, then I would most likely become the governor of the Pantoran system," Papanoida said. As he continued to speak, Ahsoka sensed a sudden spike of anger in him. "If I can hold control over the entire system, then perhaps we would be strong enough to stand up to the Trade Federation the next time that they try blockading us or kidnapping my daughters," he ended, his voice dropping into a growl.

Riyo abruptly stood up and turned around to face the window.

"Senator?" Papanoida asked cautiously, rising to his feet. "Senator? Have I offended you?"

Riyo turned around and took a deep breath. "Forgive me for sounding so off-putting before, Chairman. I almost forgot about what the Trade Federation wrought on us three years ago. I understand why that would make you want to strengthen our position."

Papanoida sat back down with a gloomy expression. "Now you understand my position, do you not? Have I changed your opinion on the bill?"

"My view remains the same," Riyo said. "And I don't see anything that could budge me."

"We may never get another opportunity to consolidate this much power in the Pantoran system again," Papanoida said. A tone that was almost pleading had crept into his voice.

"Your intentions here are good, Chairman, and you seek to use this power only to defend Pantora, but what if you aren't elected to be the governor of the Pantoran system at all?" Riyo asked. "What if another person like Chi Cho came to power?"

Papanoida winced. "Pantora is governed by a democratic assembly. A situation like the Chi Cho incident should not happen again."

Riyo lowered her head. "It already happened once. And if the Governance Bill passes, it won't be up to the Pantoran assembly to elect the governor- it will be up to the Chancellor."

Papanoida was silent for several moments as a frown crossed his face. "This bill is a long way off, anyway. There are other things we need to discuss," he said finally. "Let's forget about the bill for a few minutes."

"All right," Riyo agreed.

As the two Pantorans continued talking, Ahsoka's mind wandered. What had Riyo been about to say in reply to her question?

She brought up the image of Riyo's expression, remembering how it transitioned from confusion to shock. She had opened her mouth and closed it- was that a sign of thinking of an answer, and reconsidering? Or just surprise?

She glanced at Riyo. Her expression was calm and focused, and displayed none of the surprise that had been there several minutes ago. When Ahsoka had asked the question, Riyo had just looked completely off-guard. She hadn't sensed any intentions from Riyo to obscure an answer. With a sinking feeling, she realized that she would have to ask Riyo again if she wanted to get an answer. She returned her attention to the discussion.

"-makes sense," Papanoida was saying. "The Senate will decide that matter."

Riyo nodded. "Speaking of the Senate… I know you need to leave soon. So, the Sector Governance Bill. What's your final decision on it?"

Papanoida stood up and walked to the window, where he stood, gazing out. "I know the difficulty of your job, Senator. You have to balance the best interests of a single planet and the entire galaxy. I have to do what's best for Pantora. Obviously, we will see differently on some things."

"I don't follow-"

He turned around and laid his hand on Riyo's shoulder. "But on this, ultimately, it's _your_ decision, not mine. I have complete trust in whatever choice you'll make."

"Thank you, Chairman," Riyo said. Her face grew solemn. "I intend to play a vital part in the opposition to the Sector Governance Bill. This will be a dangerous undertaking. Someone very well may try to silence my voice. Perhaps you should prepare a replacement for me, if that were to happen."

Papanoida took Ahsoka by surprise when he nodded gravely, as if Riyo's suggestion was perfectly ordinary.

"I dearly hope I won't have to take that step. I wish you the best of luck, Senator." He turned towards the door. "I must leave now."

"Captain Solant will escort you out," Riyo said. "She's waiting outside the door."

"Thank you." Papanoida turned and left the room, leaving Ahsoka and Riyo alone.

Ahsoka pulled off her helmet and spun to face Riyo. "Riyo, what's going on? You're talking about assassinations and dying- what have you gotten yourself _into?!_ "

Riyo sighed. "I haven't exactly told you the full story, have I?"

"No, apparently not!"

Looking weary again, Riyo sat down on the edge of her desk.

"First of all," she began, "The Sector Governance Bill. I cannot overstate its importance. The vote on it will be held in about five weeks. The Senate is divided over it, but all the prevailing opinion is that they'll vote in favor of it."

She scowled fiercely. "That bill will only become a law over my dead body."

Ahsoka reached out to Riyo in shock. "Riyo-"

Riyo pushed on, her cheeks flushing with rage. "Like I said before, the bill goes against the core beliefs of the Republic. To pass this bill means the death of the Republic as we know it. The Chancellor would be like a king. Entire planetary and star systems would lose their voices. In fact, this bill draws on principles last used by the _Sith Empire_ ," she spat. "I won't stand idly by as democracy dies in the galaxy."

"Riyo…"

"Powerful senators will want me dead. They crave the power that the Governance Bill promises. They will see my opposition to the bill as an obstacle to their future success. And in their minds, I am but one senator. It would be far too easy for my… unfortunate demise… to be arranged. I learned this the hard way."

Horror gripped Ahsoka. "Has there been an attempt on your life already?!"

"Just one. So far," Riyo said darkly. "Three days ago. It was a relatively minor event, if you can even call an assassination attempt that. But it happened, and I may not be so lucky as to survive another one. That's why I went looking for you."

"What happened?" Ahsoka asked, leaning forward.

"This was before I had a private security detail. I was alone on a public transport. The would-be assassin was on board that transport, too. It was… terrifying," Riyo said, closing her eyes. " I… I don't want to talk about it."

"That's okay."

"This is why I need you, Ahsoka. People are already trying to kill me. I trust you to protect me."

Ahsoka nodded. She moved forward and clutched Riyo's hands tightly between her hands. "Riyo, I don't want you to ever be this scared again. I swear, right now, I swear by the Force that I will do my best to protect you."

Riyo smiled. "I know you will, Ahsoka. Thank you. With you guarding me, I wouldn't feel safer than if the entire Grand Army of the Republic was guarding me."

Ahsoka gently let go of Riyo's hand and turned to face the transparisteel window that offered a view of the sprawling Senate District, with the Jedi Temple visible in the distance. "Whatever you have planned, Riyo, I'm along for the ride," she said confidently.

And then, as she looked out at the view, something peculiar happened. For one brief second, the Jedi Temple's entire appearance changed. It morphed into a smoldering ruin with smoke pouring out of the sides and a heavy aura of death hanging in the air around it. And then, a second later, it was back to its majestic state, with no sign of trouble at all.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you thought! Enjoy the rest of the story.**


	3. Chapter 3: Clouded Future

**Chapter 3: Clouded Future**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

Ahsoka woke up to a world that was blood-red and soundless.

Clones in night-black armor surrounded her; their visors twisted into ferocious scowls.

Every instinct in her screamed at her to run, but her body remained stuck in place. She couldn't move.

In eerie unison, the clones around her all lowered their rifles and aimed at her. As she stared down the blaster of the clone nearest to her, it cocked the weapon, and blood started to drip out of the barrel. A series of clicks around her signaled the cocking of the other weapons. She looked around frantically as blood began to drip out of all the blasters and run towards her, pooling around her feet.

Suddenly, the clones all spoke simultaneously, breaking the silence.

"GOOD SOLDIERS FOLLOW ORDERS," they droned. And then they fired.

Ahsoka's eyes flew open, and she awoke, her heart racing. Almost immediately, she was plunged back into another world.

Clones… Clones attacking her…

 _Rain falling. Shouts echoing through the air. Her lightsabers batting away stun bolts._

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the images that flooded her mind. Instead, the darkness only magnified the flashbacks.

 _A gunship roars overhead, searchlights flaring in her face._

"No… No…" She clapped her hands over her ears.

 _A traitor to the Republic. The fate that awaits you is death._  
"Stop…" she whimpered.

 _Save yourself!_

"STOP!" Her hands clenched into fists and she shoved her legs forward, throwing the blankets off her bed, and jerked up, finally regaining full consciousness.

She sat, frozen and panting, for several seconds and scanned the room. It was pitch-black and deathly silent. Finally satisfied that her flashback was completely over, she groaned and slumped down. That had been no dream- it was a vision. It had been as vivid as her vision of the Sith in the Jedi Temple.

What was the Force trying to tell her through these visions?

Oh… Oh, no. No.

The promise that she'd made to Riyo yesterday- _"Forget the war. I swear, right now, I swear by the Force that I will do my best to protect you."_

Was the Force warning her to get off Coruscant?

She got up and slid her door open. This was too big of a problem to ignore. She needed to meditate.

Quietly, she entered the living room, walked to the window, and crouched down on the floor, facing the skyline outside. She crossed her legs and closed her eyes. _Breathe._

She took a deep, slow breath, timing the inhalation and exhalation with her heartbeat. As her heart slowed, she concentrated on her senses, feeling each one and closing herself off from it. Sounds, smells, and touches faded into the background until they were no more distracting than the rhythm of her heart. She began focusing on the Force. At first it came slowly, in gentle ripples around her. She immersed herself in the Force, letting it wash over her and urging it on. The ripples became waves, and soon, the Force was swirling around her. She started to rise off the ground, and finally, the world opened up around her. She could sense everything- Riyo's presence in her room- she was an island of energy, even in sleep. Further down, Edose was asleep as well, with a much more sedate presence in the Force. And outside the suite, Jorys was standing guard, radiating vigilance. Past that, the billions of inhabitants of Coruscant buzzed around them. Pulling away from the outside world, Ahsoka turned her thoughts inward, and the Force followed. Indecision and anxiety churned within her.

Before she could contemplate anything further, however, something registered distantly in her ears.

Ahsoka opened her eyes to find Jorys staring at her.

"Tano?" she asked, in a guarded tone. "What are you doing?"

Ahsoka uncrossed her legs and flipped down to the ground. "Meditating."

"You were hovering in the air."

"Oh, that's normal," Ahsoka said. "Don't worry about it."

"Normal? How-" Jorys stopped herself and shook her head. "You should get some sleep."

"Sure." Ahsoka glanced past Jorys at the view of the Senate District and caught sight of the Jedi Temple. A memory tugged at her mind… That brief vision of a smoldering ruin.

A Sith in the Jedi Temple, clone troopers attacking her, the Jedi Temple in ruins… What was going to _happen?_

It seemed more and more like this was a warning to get off Coruscant. And suddenly, she remembered the smuggler from Cato Neimoidia that she had a score to settle with.

"Tano?" Jorys asked, cutting into her thoughts. "Everything all right?"

"Oh, uh, yes" Ahsoka said, blinking. "Look, Jorys, I have to go take care of something- can I borrow your speeder bike?"

"What for?" Jorys asked skeptically.

"…Something."

"Are you going to wreck it?"

"Of course not."

Jorys sighed. "I guess I can let you take it. The passcode to unlock it is 'JORYS.' Please don't wreck it."

"Thank you. I won't."

Ahsoka left the suite, and a short turbolift ride later, she was climbing onto Jorys's blue-and-white Senate speeder and turning it on. With a gentle whirr, the speeder came to life and rose off the ground. She floated out of the building and flew off in the direction of the Freight District.

* * *

General Fissa Sart'Kla Memorial Spaceport was a massive, sprawling area that stretched for kilometers upon kilometers. It was one of the largest of its kind on Coruscant. Here, freighters from the Republic's galactic holdings unloaded their cargo to be whisked off to all parts of the urban planet.

She strolled down the central plaza in a set of robes, scanning the ships around her. Despite the size and importance of the spaceport, the Freight District was just a few steps above the Coruscant underworld, and it showed. The place was crawling with armed security guards and shady-looking characters. It didn't surprise Ahsoka that a smuggler would be hiding here.

Inside a docking bay at the extreme end of the plaza, there was a heavily modified blue-and-white YT-1300 freighter. There it was. That was the one that the double-crossing smuggler had escaped in. She checked her datapad.

 **Ship name** : _Screaming Japnek_.

 **Cargo** : _Gh'anstbeast furs_.

 **Planet of Origin** : _Elcorth_

Perfect. If she played her cards right, this could be her ticket to Cato Neimoidia.

As Ahsoka approached, she saw an Iktotchi lounging on the ship's loading ramp and smoking a pipe. She recognized him immediately. This was the smuggler who'd gotten away on Cato Neimoidia. He'd called himself Kevor Rosgrest. He had been an annoying waste of time the first time they'd met, and now it was time for a little payback. She pulled the hood of her cloak over her face and approached him.

As she came up, Rosgrest followed her with his eyes, but made no movement until she was directly in front of him.

"Need something?" he grunted, not removing the pipe from his mouth.

"Are you the pilot of this ship?" Ahsoka asked.

He nodded. "Yup."

Ahsoka smiled. "Good."

Rosgrest returned his pipe to his mouth and took a long draft before speaking again. "What do you want, anyway?"

"Look, I'll cut to the chase. I know you're a smuggler," Ahsoka said.

Rosgrest pulled his pipe out of his mouth. "Eh?"

"Kevor Rosgrest," she continued, ignoring the pilot's startled expression at hearing his name. "You were on Cato Neimoidia several months ago, before you made off with a thousand credits' worth of Republic spice. I don't know where you've gone since then, but what matters is that you're here now. And I would like a favor from you."

Rosgrest's hand went to his blaster at his hip. "Who are you? What's your business with me?"

In reply, Ahsoka dropped her hood, revealing her face.

Rosgrest's reaction was dramatic, to say the least. He let out a yell and scrambled back into the side of his ship.

"YOU?!" he yelped. "The Jedi from Cato Neimoidia!"

"That's me," Ahsoka said, crossing her arms.

"What do you want?" Rosgrest growled, getting up, as his hand hovered over his holster.

"Do you plan on going back to Cato Neimoidia?" Ahsoka asked.

"What's it to you?" he snapped.

"I'm looking for a ride there," she said. "I'll pay."

Rosgrest squinted at her. "You aren't here to arrest me?"

Ahsoka held out her hands. "No, I'm not going to arrest you. I didn't even bring my lightsabers."

Rosgrest finally moved his hand away from his blaster, but he still looked disbelieving. "You actually want a ride to Cato Neimoidia?"

"I said, I'll pay you for the journey," she repeated.

"Hm," Rosgrest said, finally displaying an expression that wasn't deep suspicion. "I still don't know… That planet's a war zone…."

"That didn't stop you from going there before," Ahsoka said.

"Wee-elll-" Rosgrest said evasively, glancing around. "Hmmm. I guess it would be all right- for a decent price, of course."

"Name it."

He looked skyward and muttered under his breath for a few seconds before deciding on a sum. "Three thousand credits."

Ahsoka choked. "Three thousand credits?! I could buy an entire ship for that price!"

He shrugged. "That's not my problem. That's the price of illegally going into an active war zone."

"Twelve hundred credits would be a reasonable price," Ahsoka countered.

"Yeah, well, a free ride would be a reasonable price to you," he shot back. "Since you seem like a nice person, I can come down to twenty-eight hundred."

"Fifteen hundred."

"Nothing doing."

"Twenty-eight hundred is completely unfair."

"Well, life's unfair, too." Rosgrest took a puff of his pipe. "It's a pity that we can't come to an agreement." He looked at her curiously. "You're a Jedi, anyway. Why're you bargaining with me to get offworld? Don't the Jedi have personal ships that you can use or something?"

Ahsoka blinked. Did this smuggler _not_ know that she had just very publicly left the Order? All right, then. That would help her bluff. "That's none of your business," she said firmly.

"Well, then… My offer stands. Twenty-eight hundred."

Ahsoka considered her options. The more money Rosgrest asked for, the longer it would take to get to Cato Neimoidia. Well… she needed to stay on Coruscant at least until the Sector Governance Bill was voted on and Riyo was out of danger- and that was still five weeks away. At five hundred and fifty credits per week…

"Would you do two thousand?" she asked.

A sparkle appeared in Rosgrest's eyes. "Well, now you sound reasonable… Uh… I can do twenty-five hundred, but that's the lowest I can go. Any less, and it's not worth it. Take it or leave it."

Ahsoka considered her options as Rosgrest slowly exhaled a cloud of pipe smoke, staring at her. This was her only chance to get to Cato Neimoidia, and possibly her only chance to get back into the fighting for a long time. That price wouldn't leave her with a lot of credits, but she could deal with that later.

"All right, that's a deal," she said finally, holding out her hand.

"Wonderful!" Rosgrest shook her hand. His entire demeanor changed, and he stood up straighter, taking on a more cheerful tone. "Twenty-five hundred credits! A very good price for both of us. When do you want to leave?"

Ahsoka took a deep breath, anticipating some dismay at this answer. "Five weeks."

"FIVE WEEKS?!" Rosgrest yelped, staring at Ahsoka like she'd just morphed into General Grievous in a stripper's outfit. "It's going to take you FIVE STANDARD WEEKS for you to pay me?! Do you expect me to stay here the ENTIRE TIME?!"

"Yup."

"YOU-" Rosgrest made a strangled noise of protest. "I never spend more than a WEEK here at a time! I've got to be on Talus in five _DAYS!_ I'll lose thousands if I don't get out there!"

Ahsoka closed her eyes, feeling a headache approaching. "Look, it's the best that I can do in this situation. You'll lose thousands if you don't stay on Coruscant, understand?"

To her satisfaction, Rosgrest stopped yelling. "You really won't pay me unless I stay here?" he asked.

Ahsoka nodded. "I don't trust you not to get stuck, arrested, or killed," she said. "The way you act, I'm pretty sure that you have more than a few enemies out there."

"Well, the only way that I'll stay here is if you pay me more," Rosgrest said defiantly.

Ahsoka stared at him. "A raise?! I'm already giving you plenty!"

"I want four thousand credits," Rosgrest said, ignoring her.

" _Four thousand_ credits!" Ahsoka choked. "I don't even have _three_ thousand!"

"Tough luck, then," Rosgrest said, turning away. "Get the Jedi Council to pay for it. They're rolling in credits."

Ahsoka gritted her teeth. "I can do two thousand seven hundred and fifty." That would leave her absolutely no extra money, but if this was what it took…

Rosgrest snorted. "Please. I'm not stupid. That sum's barely worth its weight in bantha fodder. Four thousand or no go, lady."

Irritation spiked in Ahsoka, and this time, she'd had enough. "Listen, Rosgrest. I don't think you realize just how little power you have over me. I could turn you in right now to security. _Right. Now._ And they would listen to me. They'll do whatever a Jedi tells them to do, and they'll definitely put you in prison for all the illegal smuggling you've done. How would you like that?"

Rosgrest scowled. "You wouldn't."

Ahsoka smirked. "Watch me." She raised her comlink, deliberately letting Rosgrest see the Republic insignia that adorned it.

Rosgrest gulped. "You're- you're bluffing. That's not a- a Jedi thing to do."

Ahsoka tapped the comlink. Several seconds later, Jorys's voice came through the speaker. "Tano? What's the matter?"

"You won't do it…" Rosgrest said weakly.

"Jorys, I need you to come over here and make an arr-"

"ALL RIGHT!" Rosgrest yelped, reaching out in a desperate grab for the comlink. Ahsoka pulled her arm back and let him flail past her.

"Two thousand seven hundred and fifty?" she asked smugly, lowering the comlink and putting out her hand to seal the deal.

"Two thousand seven hundred and fifty," Rosgrest said in a defeated tone. He shook her hand limply and slunk up the boarding ramp to his ship.

Ahsoka turned away and started to leave. Then, suddenly, she sensed a nudge in the Force.

She stopped short, and her hand went automatically to the small blaster strapped to her hip.

Halfway up the boarding ramp of his ship, Rosgrest turned around. "What is it?" he asked.

"Someone's in here," Ahsoka said, scanning the docking bay. She zeroed in on a stack of empty crates near the exit.

"How do you-"

Ahsoka held up a hand for Rosgrest to be quiet. He obeyed. Her eyes narrowing, she drew her blaster and approached the crates.

"Stay back," she said to the smuggler.

Rosgrest, who had drawn his own pistol by then, didn't seem inclined to disobey as Ahsoka drew closer to the crates. She could definitely sense something behind them now.

But before she could get any closer, a flurry of movement sent the pile of crates flying towards her.

"KRIFF!" As Ahsoka dodged one crate and batted the rest of them out of the way with a Force push, she saw a hooded figure streaking towards the exit.

"HEY! STOP!" she yelled.

The spy didn't stop, even as Rosgrest fired a shot at its retreating figure.

"I'll follow him! Stay with the ship!" Ahsoka yelled at Rosgrest, sprinting out into the spaceport. She skidded to a halt outside, looking around the massive, crowded building. The cloaked figure was nowhere to be seen.

She closed her eyes and reached out with the Force, feeling for the franticness that she'd felt coming from the spy right before they made a break for it.

 _Right there!_ Her eyes flew open, and she caught sight of it shouldering through the crowd. Ahsoka took off into the crowd.

As she closed in on the figure, it slowed to a walk, obviously confident of its escape. Ahsoka slowed down too, to a careful stalk, as she prepared to apprehend the spy. But then it glanced over its shoulder, and before she could duck and hide, it saw her and broke into a run again.

"Fek," she muttered, shoving past a startled Rodian and breaking into pursuit again. Her opponent was surprisingly fast.

The spy broke out into the open and sprinted across a speeder lot, with Ahsoka still in hot pursuit. Suddenly, it veered to the right and made a beeline towards a bridge that extended out over the speeder lanes, connecting the spaceport to a line of buildings on the other side.

Ahsoka glanced at her surroundings. By the time she reached the bridge, whomever she was chasing would be on the other side, and it would be all too easy for them to vanish into the lower levels. Unless…

The bridge took a long, twisting route over the speeder lanes. The lanes themselves were a much more direct way across, and right in front of her was a slow-moving public transport.

She took a deep breath, focused, and ran towards the edge of the building. One focused jump into the air got her onto the transport. She sprinted across the top of the vehicle, angling towards the bridge again while keeping the spy in her sights, and drew deep into the Force, letting it surround her. The strength in her legs increased tenfold as she ran out of ground, and when she jumped, she sailed far over the lanes, landing gracefully on the bridge, her blaster already drawn, ten meters in front of the spy.

The spy stopped short, almost falling over, and backed away. With one route now cut off, it turned around and fled back down the bridge.

But before the spy had gotten very far, Rosgrest's blue-and-white freighter rose out of nowhere and landed on the bridge, with its gun turrets poised to fire, cutting off the other escape route.

Ahsoka resisted the urge to smile as she advanced on the now-trapped spy. Maybe that smuggler wasn't as brainless as he seemed.

"Now," she said, coming to a halt in front of the spy, "Who are you?" Even when facing it head-on, Ahsoka still couldn't make out its face, as their hood was pulled down too far. It didn't matter. She'd find out soon enough.

"No-" the spy said, looking around wildly. The exclamation was in a male voice, Ahsoka noted. He was backing up now, towards the edge of the bridge, his hands raised.

Ahsoka raised her blaster, and the spy jerked back again, pushing his back against the bridge railing. "I said, _who are you?_ "

"I-" He glanced over the edge. "I-" And then, unexpectedly, he turned and vaulted over the railing.

"What in the name of the Force?!" Ahsoka rushed to the edge and looked over, just in time to see a red speeder blast under the bridge and catch the spy mid-fall, before diving into the lower levels of traffic and disappearing from view.

"Kriffing hell," she muttered, pocketing her blaster.

The boarding ramp on Rosgrest's ship lowered, and he ran out.

"He jumped?!" he asked, peering over the edge. "Is he dead?"

"No. Someone in a speeder caught him," Ahsoka said. "There's nothing we can do now."

Rosgrest sighed in disgust. "You don't know who that was, do you?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Ahsoka said, shrugging. "You know anyone who might be following you?"

Rosgrest paused, and after a minute of deep thought, he shook his head. "Nope. Nobody."

"Right," Ahsoka said dubiously. "Well, even if that spy didn't seem to want to hurt us, you should be on your guard. Move your ship someplace else and find a place to lie low, just to be safe."

"I can do that," Rosgrest said. "What about you?"

"I'll be fine."

"We'll meet again in five weeks, then." Rosgrest turned around and walked back to his freighter, leaving Ahsoka alone on the bridge.

She gazed out at the sprawl of Coruscant below around her. For now, she would remain here and then, in five weeks, she would be gone, back to fighting in a war that, despite everything that she'd been through, she'd never wanted to be back in so badly.

In the distance, the spires of the Jedi Temple were just barely visible. Ahsoka watched them contemplatively. She couldn't ignore the sense of foreboding that crept up on her.

Not for the last time, she wondered, _What in the Force is going to happen?_ And, more importantly, she thought, _Will I be part of it?_

 **A/N: There you are. I know it's a little behind schedule and a little short, but I've had the worst homework load over the last month. But my winter break's coming up. I bet I can put out a chapter or two in the next month. As always, please leave a review and tell me what you thought. I appreciate all feedback, and it makes my day to see a review. Feel free to ask questions as well. Thanks for reading. Air Force Muffin out.**


	4. Chapter 4: Enter The Tiger

**Chapter 4: Enter The Tiger**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

The gathering of senators in Riyo's apartment was going well. Ahsoka had positioned herself next to the entrance to the suite to watch over the scene, but her presence almost wasn't necessary. Riyo was dominating the room. For the last hour, she had weaved through the room, slipping from person to person, and exchanging anything from a few quiet words to a lengthy debate. The outcome was always the same. Every single senator in the room, it seemed, was taking Riyo's side . Ahsoka watched as Riyo smiled and shook hands with Senator Amidala. They conversed for a few moments and parted with a laugh. After talking to Amidala, Riyo came up to Ahsoka's side.

"This is perfect," Riyo whispered to her. "This was a sort of kicking-off party for the opposition to the Sector Governance Bill. It's a good start."

"Good," Ahsoka said.

"However, there's one more guest coming tonight," she added.

"Who is it?"

"Cara Tebathia," Riyo said. "She's an exceptionally influential senator from Alsakan and one of Palpatine's biggest supporters on this bill." She glanced at the chronograph on the wall. "She'll be arriving any minute now. I'll be speaking to her personally in my office, and I want you with me."

"Of course. Why?"

"Moral support. I'll need it," Riyo said grimly.

Jorys' voice came over the comlink in Ahsoka's helmet. "There's a new guest coming in, Tano."

Ahsoka tapped her comlink to reply. "Thanks." She turned to face the door.

At that moment, it slid open, and a tall, thin human female draped in a fur coat stepped in. Her straight black hair hung in an even circle around her head. All talking in the room stopped as the senators turned to look at the entrant, who slowly surveyed the room, ignoring the stares. Her eyes briefly skimmed over Ahsoka's, and Ahsoka caught a flash of piercing green.

The green eyes came to rest on Riyo, and the newcomer finally spoke.

"Hello, Senator Chuchi," she said coolly. "I do not recall any mention of a party in your invitation." Her voice and face were without a hint of emotion.

"Greetings, Senator Tebathia," Riyo said with equal calm. "That is true. I apologize for my forgetfulness." She motioned towards her office. "Would you wish to talk in a quieter space?"

"That would be preferred," Tebathia said, moving forward.

Ahsoka followed the two senators into the office and adopted an attentive pose as Riyo sat down behind her desk.

"Senator Tebathia?" Riyo asked. "Would you like to sit down?"

"No, thank you," Tebathia said. She remained standing.

Ahsoka watched as the two senators stared at each other in silence. Tebathia was the first to speak.

"I have to give you credit, Senator," she said, a slight smile creeping onto her face.

Riyo raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And why would that be?"

"Please. Let's not pretend that you actually forgot to tell me that there would be a meeting of Anti-Governance senators here tonight." Tebathia shook her head. "You're obviously trying to intimidate me. At the very least, it's much more than what I expect from a senator who's barely old enough to vote on my home planet."

Ahsoka detected a spike in Riyo's anger.

"Senator," Riyo said. "That is hardly-"

"It takes after me, in a way. In another time, we would have made wonderful allies. But not now." She bared her teeth in a ferocious grin that reminded Ahsoka of the look on an akul beast before they went in for a kill. "I plan on winning this vote. Your attempt at intimidation doesn't scare me, Senator Chuchi."

"Fine," Riyo slid a paper across her desk. "Perhaps this document will give you pause. It is a collection of the signatures of senators who have pledged opposition to the Sector Governance Bill."

Tebathia picked up the paper and looked over it briefly before putting it back down without a word.

"Well?" Riyo asked. "Anything to say, Senator?"

"I say that this means nothing," Tebathia said.

"This is very far from-"

Tebathia airily deflected away the protest. "You said to me that you would be leading the opposition." She gestured at the door. "Is that the opposition? A small roomful of senators? That isn't anything at all." She put her hand on her hip and fixed a condescending smirk on Riyo. "To put it simply, I am not impressed, Senator. I don't think I should have even bothered coming."

Scrambling for a response, Riyo suddenly looked very beaten.

But as Tebathia put her hand on her hip, she brushed her coat back slightly, and Ahsoka saw a gleam of metal. She squinted at it. That wasn't part of the dress… She activated the camera on her visor and zoomed in on the metal. It curved down into a pocket of the coat, out of view, but it looked like- Ahsoka's eyes widened. That was a blaster.

She acted before she even knew what she was doing. With a Force-push, she sent Tebathia flying back into the wall, and in one jump, crossed the room and put her arm at the senator's neck, pinning her there.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF-" Tebathia thundered, but Ahsoka ignored her as she turned her attention to the coat, digging down into it and pulling out the blaster.

"Ahsoka?!" Riyo exclaimed, standing up. "What are you…" She trailed off as Ahsoka held up the blaster.

"She had a blaster," Ahsoka said.

Riyo marched forward, took the blaster out of Ahsoka's hands, and looked it over. "Well. It's a blaster, no doubt. A Power 5 Heavy Pistol." She turned to glare at Tebathia. "Senator," she snarled, "What is the meaning of this?"

Even pinned against the wall and facing down Riyo's anger, Tebathia had the composure of a Jedi Knight. "I assure you, that blaster is only for my protection," she said. "Would you kindly call off your guard?"

"No," Riyo growled. "For all I know, you had some nefarious purpose in mind with this blaster. There's already been one attempt on my life."

Ahsoka noticed Tebathia's aura of serenity in the Force waver as an expression of what she might've called exasperation flashed across the senator's face.

"Senator, I meant absolutely no ill intent with that blaster."

"What kind of senator just carries around a weapon in their pocket?" Riyo shot back.

Unexpectedly, Tebathia smirked. "A smart one."

Riyo jerked forward. " _You_ -" She caught herself and spoke again, in a much quieter, if very strained, tone. "I've had enough of this belittling. My guard will escort you out," Riyo said firmly. "And-" she held up the blaster- "I will be keeping _this_."

"Well, that would be theft, Senator," Tebathia said, in a much calmer tone.

Riyo walked over to her desk, opened a drawer, and dropped the blaster into it. "So be it," she said. "You hiding this from me. I won't accept that."

"Hiding things from you? You act like that's something that people don't do to you already," Tebathia said casually.

Riyo jerked bolt upright. "Senator, that's hardly something that you would say," she said stiffly.

"You know as well as I do that you aren't very high on the totem pole in terms of stature-" Tebathia paused and looked Riyo up and down. "-both politically and physically."

Ahsoka's eyes widened as she stared at Tebathia. No. There was no way that she had just said that-

Riyo stepped forwards, a wave of rage flaring around her. _"What kind of-"_

Ahsoka let go of Tebathia and moved so that she could come between the two senators if she had to. She watched Riyo for any more signs of an outburst. Riyo stood still, glaring at Tebathia with a hateful gaze, but saying nothing.

Now that Riyo seemed to have herself under control, Ahsoka turned her attention back to Tebathia. "Here's the door, Senator." She practically shoved the Alsakanian politician forward.

"You're a Jedi, aren't you?" Tebathia said to Ahsoka. "That was a Force-push you used back there."

"That's none of your business," Ahsoka said. "Move along."

"Senator Chuchi called you something… 'Ahsoka.' You wouldn't happen to be _that_ Ahsoka, would you? The one expelled from the Jedi Order?"

"No comment," Ahsoka snapped.

Tebathia narrowed her eyes. "I see. I'll be reporting you, Tano."

"You go ahead and do that." Ahsoka slid open the door to the living room. "Now, _leave._ "

However, Riyo called out at that moment, stopping them. "Senator Tebathia."

Both Ahsoka and Tebathia turned around.

"Yes?" Tebathia asked.

Riyo stood ramrod-straight behind her desk and spoke in a voice quavering with emotion. "I want you to know that I can- and I will- bring down the Governance Bill. You underestimate me."

Tebathia was silent for a moment. Then- appallingly, she _laughed._ A light, tinkling, and extremely condescending laugh. "You just keep telling yourself that, senator."

Ahsoka dearly wanted to punch her at that moment.

Tebathia pulled her arm out of Ahsoka's grip. "I'll leave by myself, thanks." With that, she strode out of the room.

 _Well, fek you too,_ Ahsoka thought, glaring at the senator's billowing coat as it vanished from the suite and ignoring the stares from the other senators in the room. She turned around.

Riyo had sat down at her desk, and her face was buried in her hands. "Close the door," she said tightly.

Ahsoka slammed the door shut and crossed the room. "Riyo, that woman was an absolute piece of-"

"No," Riyo said, looking up. "She's right."

"What?!"

"I _am_ everything she said," Riyo said miserably. "I'm one of the youngest senators in the Republic. I'm not powerful or even from a successful planet…"

"What?" Ahsoka pulled off her helmet and sat down in front of her. "Are you even _listening_ to yourself right now?"

Riyo went on. "I just- I just- I know that if Senator Amidala or Senator Organa or _someone_ better than me had been in my place just now, Senator Tebathia wouldn't have acted like that at all."

" _Riyo!_ None of that is true! You're one of the smartest people that I know!"

"Intelligence can only get you so far in the senate," Riyo said. "I'm no Padme Amidala. I can't sway people with my words." She sighed. "All of Pantora believes in me. Do you know what it's like, trying to live up to the expectations of an entire planet? Ever since I made peace with the Talz on Orto Plutonia and ended the Trade Federation blockade, they've treated me like a savior. It's been three years since I did those things. I haven't been able to accomplish anything since. Pantora has always been on the wayside of galactic politics, and like every senator before me, I've failed to change that."

"Are you calling yourself a _failure?"_ Ahsoka asked.

"Maybe," Riyo muttered. "It certainly seems that way. It's pointless to be opposing the Governance Bill if I'm leading the way. I won't be able to gather any support."

Enough. Ahsoka smacked her hands down on Riyo's desk. "Riyo, just a half-hour ago, you were on fire! You were talking to all of the senators, and they were listening to you and agreeing with you! You were confident and powerful- and then _that woman_ came in here and treated you like a kriffing child!"

Riyo opened her mouth, but Ahsoka lifted a finger, stopping her. "And don't say that she had the right to treat you like a kid, either! We're practically the same age. And I, being a ' _child_ ,' have already been a Jedi, fought in battles all over the galaxy, and came face-to-face with the leaders of the Separatists. Oh, and all of the battles I've been in?" She started counting them off on her fingers. "Umbara. Ryloth. Felucia. The second battle of Geonosis. Lola Sayu. Mon Calamari. Kiros. Onderon. Cato Neimoidia. Christophsis." She ran out of fingers, stopped, and glared meaningfully at Riyo. "My age didn't matter one bit in all of those. So why should _your_ age matter in the Senate?"

"I- I guess it shouldn't, when you put it like that," Riyo said, wavering.

"Listen." Ahsoka leaned closer and put her hand on Riyo's shoulder, sending a wave of reassurance through her hand and into Riyo's body. " _I_ believe that you can do anything."

Riyo took a deep, shuddering breath and closed her eyes. "Thank you, Ahsoka."

"All right." Ahsoka straightened. "That's more like it. Come on, let's get back to the party."

* * *

Ahsoka tossed her helmet onto the ground as she dropped into an armchair. The party had long since ended, and the only people in the apartment beside herself were Riyo, Jorys, and Edose.

"So what are you going to do with Tebathia's blaster?"

Riyo shrugged. "I'll give it to Jorys. She'll probably drop it off at the armory." She gazed at her glass of wine. "I have to say, I almost suspected that Tebathia would try to pull something like that."

"Really? I mean, as awful as she was, I didn't sense any real malevolence in her when she first came in," Ahsoka said.

"Underhanded doings aren't Tebathia's forte, but this bill has the power to completely change the Republic, for the better or for the worse." She sipped her wine. "People will do strange things when so much power is at stake."

"Strange things? Like what?"

Riyo shrugged. "Anything can happen in the Senate- blasters have been pulled and shots have been fired, people have been physically forced to sign bills, there's been all manner of explosives and weapons of mass destruction…" She shook her head. "Don't even get me started on the assassinations."

Ahsoka stared at Riyo in amazement. "You act like this stuff is common."

"Welcome to the world of galactic politics," Riyo said dryly. "Corruption, violent or otherwise, is nothing new in the Republic Senate."

"I… That's incredible. I guess I never thought…"

"You thought that politics was just people sitting around in rooms and talking and making laws?" Riyo asked dryly. "Not at all. We bicker and fight, and then we take a recess and go get some strong drinks, and then we bicker and fight some more, and then, _maybe_ , if the weather's right or if enough people have been bribed, killed, or gotten drunk enough, a law will get passed." She took another sip of her wine. "It's not easy."

"Sounds exciting."

"Compared to your life, my life looks dull," Riyo said. After a few seconds, she added, "Well, compared to your life, _everyone's_ life looks dull."

Ahsoka dipped her head in bashful agreement. "Yeah..." Then she thought of the trial and how much her life had been turned upside down, and felt compelled to add a disclaimer.

"To be fair, I'd take dullness over what's happened lately," she muttered.

Riyo's expression suddenly became worried, and she looked down at her wine glass. "Look, Ahsoka, about that…"

Uneasiness twisted in her. "What is it?"

"If you need to talk about anything… I'm right here."

The twist hardened into a knot in Ahsoka's chest. She swallowed hard. "Um, well, there was one thing…"

"What is it?"

"I already asked you this… I never got an answer, but I think you were about to tell me."

Recognition spread across Riyo's face. "Ahsoka, I-"

Ahsoka took a deep breath. "I need to know this, for real. When you were witnessing my trial, did you think I was guilty?"

Riyo put down her wine glass and rested her chin on her hand, looking pensive. Ahsoka watched her, waiting for a reply. The silence between them stretched into a minute. Finally, Riyo lifted her head.

"I have an answer," she said resolutely. "It's a little complicated, but this is what I believe."

Ahsoka leaned forward, holding her breath.

"When I was in the Republic High Court, watching your trial, I-"

The door slid open, and Edose walked in, interrupting Riyo. "Senator Chuchi, you have a visitor. It's two Jedi."

Ahsoka's eyelid twitched.

 **A/N: There you are. Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think. Chapter 5 will be out in a week or two.**


	5. Chapter 5: Confrontations

**Chapter 5: Confrontations**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **Note: Sorry about the late update. I realized last week that I wasn't happy with what I had for this chapter, so I had to go back and rewrite it to make the scenes flow together more and take out some awkward transitions. Happy reading!**

"It's two Jedi," Edose said.

Ahsoka's eye twitched. " _Now?!_ "

She shot a desperate glance at Riyo to see if she could glean _some_ sort of answer, but the moment had already passed; Riyo's attention had turned to Edose.

"Send them in," Riyo said quickly. She accidentally made eye contact with Ahsoka, and turned away with a look of burning shame on her face.

 _Tell me,_ Ahsoka screamed internally. _I just want to know. Why can't you tell me?_

"Will do," Edose said. He returned to the hallway, and after several seconds, the two Jedi walked in.

One of them was a human, whom Ahsoka didn't know. But the other one, she recognized instantly. She stood up. The Jedi who had brought her to the Temple, mentored her throughout the years, and been present at her last moments in the Order stood before her.

"Hello, 'Soka," Jedi Master Plo Koon said tenderly.

"M- Master Plo," Ahsoka said, faltering.

Riyo entered the conversation, saving Ahsoka from having to blunder her way through a greeting. "Master Jedi," she said. "This visit is an honor. What brings you here?"

"Hello, Senator Chuchi. I only wished to speak with Ahsoka," Plo said, nodding to Ahsoka.

"Of course," Riyo said. After a moment, she added, "Ahsoka isn't in trouble, is she? Because I'll-"

Plo shook his head. "Do not worry. This is nothing significant." He looked at Ahsoka. "Might I speak to you in the hallway, 'Soka?"

"Of course," Ahsoka said.

The other Jedi mumbled a question to Plo.

"That won't be needed," Plo replied firmly. "Wait for me at the door. I might be a while." He beckoned to Ahsoka. "If you wouldn't mind, 'Soka."

He led her into the hallway, and the second Jedi trailed behind them.

"Let's walk," Plo said.

As they started down the hallway, the second Jedi didn't follow. Ahsoka found herself looking back at him as they went.

"That is my Padawan, Daileer Nosk," Plo said, noticing Ahsoka's curiosity. "I began training him recently."

"I see…" Ahsoka said. Something about Nosk seemed oddly familiar. She had never seen his face before, but there was something in his posture and Force signature that nudged at the back of her mind. She filed it away for later consideration.

"Ahsoka," Plo said, bringing her attention back to him. She opened her mouth, questions ready, but he held up a hand. "Don't worry. You are in no trouble. About an hour ago, the senator from Alsakan came to the Temple and asked about you," he explained. "She claimed that you had been in a Senate Guard uniform in Senator Riyo Chuchi's apartment, and that you had assaulted her."

Horror washed over Ahsoka as a sneering phrase from several hours came back to Ahsoka.

" _I'll be reporting you, Ahsoka._ "

"Plo," she said desperately, "I didn't assault her. She was carrying a blaster, and I just removed it from her with some extra force. That's it. I didn't hurt her at all. _Please_ believe me."

Plo held up a hand, stopping her.

"Do not worry. We could tell that Senator Tebathia was twisting the truth."

Ahsoka almost collapsed with relief. "Oh, thank the Force." Of course Senator Tebathia, that lowdown bantha, would have tried to do something like that. The Jedi couldn't hold this against her.

"The Council decided that Tebathia's report was not a troubling matter. But that's not why I'm here. When I heard of your whereabouts, I decided to visit you." Plo glanced over her. "Are you doing well? Do you need any help?"

Ahsoka squinted. For all of the talk about no attachments, Plo sure was acting awfully out of line with the Jedi Code. "Thank you, but I don't need any help right now… No, wait." Her thoughts jumped to another friend. "I need to know one thing."

"What is it?"

"Master Plo, what about Anakin? And Obi-Wan? Where are they?"

A look of unhappiness passed over Plo's face. For one alarming second, Ahsoka thought that that meant bad news. But then he spoke, and somehow, it was worse. "I'm deeply, deeply sorry, 'Soka, but that information is classified," Plo said. "I simply don't have the clearance to reveal that to you."

Ahsoka blinked. "I see." Another thing she'd have to get used to. She was just an outsider looking in on the war. And speaking of classified…

"Does this mean you've deactivated my password to the Jedi archives as well?" she asked.

Although he looked momentarily surprised, Plo nodded in affirmation. "I'm sorry. It was purely for security reasons. I hope you understand."

Ahsoka nodded. _I have to get Cato Neimoidia_ , she thought dejectedly. _Other than Riyo, there's nothing here for me._

"You're sure that there's nothing else that I can help you with?" Plo asked, interrupting her thoughts.

The foreboding visions from the last few days rose up in Ahsoka's mind. "Well, one other thing. There's something that I have to tell you," she said. "I've been having these visions."

"Visions? What sort of visions?"

"It's like this…" Ahsoka recounted everything that she'd seen: The Sith in the Jedi Temple, the clones attacking her, and the brief glimpse of the Temple in flames.

Plo listened attentively the entire time, and when she'd finished, he remained silent for a moment, stroking his chin. "Those are indeed alarming visions," he said finally. "When did they occur?"

"The most recent was a couple of days ago."

"Hm," Plo said. "I wonder… Have you considered that these visions are a sort of stress reaction to your ordeal?"

Ahsoka blinked, thrown off by Plo's reply. "A stress reaction?"

"Some Jedi in the past have had adverse reactions after going through extreme ordeals. Their reactions were characterized by surreal visions about what they suffered. Your vision of the Sith- that could be a reaction to Barriss Offee's betrayal. Your vision of the clones attacking you- When you escaped, the clones were hunting you, and their armor was red, like the color of that vision."

"But- the Temple in flames," Ahsoka said, her disbelief growing.

"The bombing of the Temple," Plo said simply. "You fear that another event like that may happen again."

"That _can't_ be it!" Ahsoka said. "This was a real vision! It- it was too real to be anything else!"

She instantly regretted speaking so strongly, but Plo seemed unperturbed by her outburst.

"You honestly think it was real?" Plo asked.

Ahsoka looked him directly in the eyes. "Yes, I do."

Plo nodded. "Then I will report it to the Council. Contact me if you have another vision."

Ahsoka gave an internal sigh of relief. "Thank you." It was a relief to know that she could still count on Plo's empathy with her.

"You said that your most recent vision was several days ago. Why didn't you try to notify us sooner?" Plo asked.

"Well-" She glanced away. "The truth is, Master Plo, I don't think I'm welcome at the Temple anymore. I didn't know if I could contact you, or anyone, and even if I could've, would they have believed me?"

"What?" Plo stepped forward. Instinctively, Ahsoka stepped back to maintain the distance between them. She caught herself, but Plo noticed it before she could correct her movement. The wave of hurt that passed over his face pained her.

Plo carefully laid a hand on her shoulder, and visibly relaxed when she didn't try to shake it off. "You are _always_ welcome in the Temple, 'Soka."

"I don't know… Ahsoka said. "I still just feel so _abandoned_. I'm not supposed to be there."

"We made a grievous mistake to cast you out in the first place," Plo said sincerely. "I cannot make you come back, Ahsoka, but someday, if you ever return… There will be a title of knighthood awaiting for you."

His tone was sincere, and Ahsoka couldn't help but feel comforted by it. "Thank you," she said.

"Do not be afraid to rise up again after your fall," Plo murmured.

Those words really shouldn't have irked Ahsoka. The phrase was innocuous enough, and Plo obviously meant well. But in the moment, it struck Ahsoka like a smack, and shattered all of the goodwill that he'd created a second ago.

"My _fall?!_ " she shrieked. _"_ You think that I've fallen to the Dark Side?! So I'm just a hop, skip, and jump away from becoming the next Sith Lord?! Are my visions are just some manifestation of my poor, Dark Side-addled mind?!"

"Ahsoka-"

Ahsoka drew herself up, a righteous fury consuming her. "If the Jedi Order wasn't so quick to brand me as _fallen_ , as you just did, maybe I wouldn't have left!"

Plo looked sick, but he said nothing.

"Good day, Master Koon," Ahsoka snapped, turning away. She stalked down the hallway back towards Riyo's suite.

* * *

She slammed the door to the suite shut, collapsed onto a couch, and dropped her head into her hands. Oh, Force. Oh, _no._ What had she done? Letting loose a torrent of words on Plo like that… it was a truth that the Jedi needed to hear, but not like that. Not by losing her control in front of a respected Jedi Master.

She let her hands slide down to her side and looked up. The main room was empty, but she could hear Riyo's voice drifting over from the kitchen.

"-Thank you for agreeing to take over," Riyo was saying quietly.

"It's no problem," a second voice said warmly. "I won't be complaining about this."

 _Senator Amidala_ , Ahsoka realized. Sensing that this was meant to be a private discussion, she stayed rooted in her spot to listen without revealing herself.

"I'm still surprised that you even gave me the chance in the first place," Riyo said sadly. "This must be a disappointment for you."

"Don't worry about that," Amidala said. "I still think that you're as qualified as anyone else."

"So I've been told," Riyo muttered.

Ahsoka smiled slightly at that.

"I'll arrange the documents-" Abruptly, Amidala stopped.

Ahsoka's senses tingled as she felt a sudden flutter in the Force. She frowned. _What the-_

"Senator Amidala? Are you all right?" Riyo asked.

"I'm fine," Amidala said, in a strained tone.

"Are you sure? Do you need anything? You look… ill."

"No, it's passed," Amidala said in a sturdier tone. And it had. The mysterious flutter that Ahsoka had felt had vanished.

"-As I was saying, I'll arrange the documents necessary to take on the duties you had. I assume that you still want to be on board with the project in some capacity?"

"Of course," Riyo said. "Just a reduced capacity, that's all. I apologize, Senator, but I really believe that I got in over my head with this."

"Don't worry about it. Opposing something like the Sector Governance Bill is a massive responsibility. You've tried to do more than almost any other senator would dare. And you're not giving up- you're just shedding some of the workload."

Oh. Ahsoka's heart dropped. Riyo was giving up.

"I just feel like I'm disappointing so many people by not continuing on at your level."

"Senator, you've been anything but a disappointment, and nothing more than your continued presence will help our cause."

"If you say so."

"Although," Amidala added, a note of unease creeping into her voice, "When is the vote on the bill?"

"Four weeks and three days from today," Riyo replied.

"Hmm…" Amidala trailed off into silence.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just a contingency plan," Amidala said. "A safeguard. Don't worry about it." She paused, and there was the sound of a chair scraping across the floor. "I think that's everything I'll have to do. I'll send you a reformatted list of duties by tomorrow morning. Is there anything else you need?"

"No, I don't think so. Have a good day, Senator Amidala."

"Goodbye, Senator Chuchi." Footsteps sounded, coming toward her.

Ahsoka stood up as Senator Amidala walked out of the kitchen while looking at a datapad in her hand. Preoccupied, she didn't see Ahsoka, and nearly bumped into her, but Ahsoka put out a hand to stop her.

"I'm sorry, excuse m-" Amidala stopped short as she looked up, recognizing Ahsoka, and a look of shock spread over her face as she processed what she was seeing. "Ahsoka?"

"Senator Amidala," Ahsoka said. "How are you?"

"I'm- I'm fine. You're a Senate Guard?"

"Sort of. Riyo hired me to be her bodyguard."

"That's wonderful. It's so good to see you. I've talked to Master Skywalker, and he was absolutely torn to pieces after you left- he didn't know where you'd gone. It'll be wonderful to tell him that I found you."

"I'm sorry for not telling you," Ahsoka said honestly. Amidala's words were something that she had desperately needed, especially after the debacle with Plo. If Anakin still cared about her, things couldn't be _that_ bad.

Abruptly, Amidala pulled her into a hug. "I'm so glad that you're okay."

Ahsoka returned the hug, savoring the senator's embrace. "I hope Anakin will-" She stopped, her senses buzzing. That flutter in the Force was back.

She looked around, bewildered, as she tried to locate the source. It was coming from… In front of her? The Senator? She looked at Amidala, confused.

Amidala seemed to have had noticed it, too. She hurriedly stepped back, clutching her datapad to her stomach. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have to leave to meet with a Zeltrosian dignitary soon," she said hastily. "It was good to see you, Ahsoka."

"Good to see you, too," Ahsoka said, as Amidala left the room.

After a moment, she entered the kitchen. Riyo was leaning against the kitchen counter and writing on a piece of flimsi.

"Hi," Ahsoka said quietly.

"Oh!" Riyo jolted up, almost dropping her flimsi. She saw Ahsoka and relaxed. "Hello."

"I saw Senator Amidala a second ago," Ahsoka said, sitting down at the table.

"You did?" Riyo put down her piece of flimsi as a tinge of nervousness crept into her voice. "Did you hear anything from our conversation?"

"I heard a couple of things," Ahsoka said. "You to Senator Amidala."

Riyo slumped. "So you heard it." She took a seat across to Ahsoka. "I'll be frank," she said, looking resolute. "Ahsoka, I just couldn't do it. It wasn't because of Tebathia or anything that she said- it's just that I realized that I'm horribly out of my depth right now. Maybe later, I'll be able to be a real leader, but not right now. If I truly want the Sector Governance Bill to be struck down, I need to try not to do so much. Senator Amidala and the others know exactly what to do. They can keep this bill from being passed. Currently, I don't have the ability to stop the bill." She lowered her head. "I know you think that I can do it, Ahsoka. But I can't. Please believe me. There's bravery, and then there's stupidity. Doing what I was doing wouldn't be bravery."

Ahsoka gazed at Riyo, her thoughts whirling. Despite the spirited lecture she'd given to Riyo after the disastrous meeting with Tebathia… It was a valid reason. She knew what to say.

"I understand."

Riyo looked up. "You do?"

Ahsoka shrugged. "I don't like contradicting myself, but from the way it sounds, you really did get in over your head. That's fine."

Relief spread over Riyo's face. "Thank you."

The look of relief, which was like radiant dawn breaking across a calm ocean, assured Ahsoka that she'd said the right thing. Well, at least one person here was happy. "No problem," she muttered.

Riyo looked closely at Ahsoka. She must have noticed that something was wrong, because she pursed her lips and leaned forward.

"Ahsoka, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Oh, it's nothing," Ahsoka said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Nothing at all."

"Is everything okay?"

"I'm _fine_ ," Ahsoka said, her voice hardening.

"Er…" Riyo took a deep breath. "Do you still want to hear what I was going to say? If I thought you were innocent or not?"

Ahsoka stared at Riyo, caught off guard by the offer. She almost said yes, but then she remembered something else: how quickly Riyo had moved on when Edose interrupted them earlier, and then the intense shame on her face when Ahsoka tried to make eye contact…

"No," Ahsoka said.

Riyo gaped. "No?!"

Ahsoka closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Riyo. I can't hear it right now. This isn't the time." Riyo's reluctance to answer the question earlier had convinced her of what her answer was going to be. Right now, with her composure already damaged, she didn't think that she could hear the answer and not have some sort of breakdown.

"What's the matter?" Riyo asked. "Did something happen with Master Koon?"

"We had a disagreement," Ahsoka said shortly. She stood up, pushing her chair in and turning away. "It didn't go well."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "I know you want to help me, but you can't understand what I'm dealing with right now. _Nobody_ could."

" _Ahsoka_."

She had been about to leave, but the firmness in Riyo's voice made her stop.

"I have to- I _have_ to tell you. I won't be able to face you if I don't," Riyo said.

Ahsoka stared at her. And then, sorrowfully, she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I already know the answer."

Riyo's mouth opened; her expression was indignant; she was ready to challenge Ahsoka's claim. But Ahsoka spoke first, in a quiet, non-accusatory voice.

"You thought I was guilty, didn't you?"

The fierce determination in Riyo's face drained away, and was replaced by grim acceptance. With a sense of unwillingness, she gave a single, slow nod- an anticlimactic revelation.

"That's what I was afraid of," Ahsoka whispered. She couldn't- and wouldn't- be angry with Riyo. After all, the entire Jedi Order had been duped into thinking that she was guilty. But then why did it hurt so much to know that Riyo had been just as fooled as everyone else?

 _Because I thought we knew each other better than that._

Ahsoka turned away.

As she left the kitchen, her montrals gave her one last image of the scene- Riyo hunched over the table; her head buried in her hands- the very picture of despair.

A part of her badly wanted to go back and apologize, but talking to Riyo would mean facing reality, and she couldn't do that right now.

She entered her room, closing the door behind her, and leaned her head against the window while squeezing her eyes shut to try to fight back the tears that were welling up at the edges of her eyes. Everything around her had gone so wrong so quickly. If only none of this had ever happened… If only Barriss hadn't made such a horrible decision…

Despite her best efforts, a tear made it past her eyelids and began trickling down her face.

She looked up and saw her reflection in the window, watching as the tear traced a path across her cheek and slid off her face. She looked out into the night and saw the Jedi Temple in the distance, its shadowy outline against the night sky looking cold and unwelcoming.

 _Things will get better,_ she told herself. _They have to._

 **Well, Chapter 5. There it is. I have some questions for readers- do you feel like this story is moving too slowly? And, do you like my OCs? I'd love to hear your answers in a review or in a private message. I accept any criticism. I'm also on tumblr at bionic-jedi. You can follow me there for updates. I should have chapter 6 up in a week or so- I've already got a rough draft of it almost halfway done.**


	6. Chapter 6: A Vision of Fire and Ice

**Chapter 6: A Vision of Fire and Ice**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **Note: I know that some people were hoping that the "two Jedi" in the last chapter would be Obi-Wan and Anakin... Since it wasn't, there might have been some disappointment. Well, guess who shows up in this chapter. I decided to throw in a lighthearted moment here, considering how dark this story is going to get later. In addition, the gunship art mentioned in this chapter is inspired by a great piece created by the talented artist lorna-ka, who can be found on tumblr under that name.**

 ** _Somewhere in hyperspace_**

Anakin Skywalker was onboard the Republic cruiser _Dynasty_ , en route to the rocky world of Anaxes, where the 501st and the 212th had been deployed to. A Separatist faction there had been holding out against a Republic offensive for several months now, and Anakin and Obi-Wan had volunteered their forces to bring an end to the stalemate.

Although, as he traversed the cruiser's hangar, he was starting to wonder if the 501st was completely equipped for the battle. Cato Neimoidia had been rough on them. Six battalions- almost a third of their forces - had been lost and were yet to be replaced. Most of their heavy artillery had sustained damage from the fighting, and nearly a quarter of their Low Altitude-Assault Transport gunships were unfit to go into battle. And more importantly, they were short one Jedi.

His chest tightened. That was one thing that couldn't be replaced by a simple shipment from the Core. The 501st would have to be without Ahsoka for the rest of their fighting days. Another reason why he'd asked to transfer to Anaxes- he never wanted to set another foot on Cato Neimoidia, which was the last planet that Ahsoka had fought on. Especially since she was trying to get to Cato Neimoidia- it was practically an insult to her if he stayed on that planet while she couldn't even get off Coruscant.

He looked up as he felt the presence of Obi-Wan approaching from behind him. As his former master neared, he put aside his thoughts about Ahsoka and spoke without turning. "Hey, Obi-Wan."

"I just talked with Admiral Yularen. We drop out of hyperspace in two hours," Obi-Wan said, falling into step next to him. "We should prepare to deploy."

"Right. Rex asked me to meet him in the hangar," Anakin said. "When he finds us, we can figure out our plan of action."

At that moment, he noticed Rex, in his distinctive blue-striped armor, making his way towards them. "Speaking of Rex," he said, "Here he comes now."

Rex came up to them and snapped a crisp salute. "General Skywalker, General Kenobi," he said.

"You wanted to see me, Rex," Anakin said. "What's the situation?"

Rex dropped the salute and folded his arms behind his back. "We've been working on the damaged gunships, sir."

"How many are fit for service?"

"Around eighty-seven percent, sir. The rest aren't anything we can fix out here."

Anakin nodded. "That's better than I thought, actually. Should be enough for us."

"There's something else, sir," Rex said.

"What is it?"

"In addition to repairs, we've taken the opportunity to re-paint some of the gunships. Our company thought that you might be interested in the result. Would you like to see them, sir?"

"Sure. Lead the way," Anakin said. He glanced at Obi-Wan for an explanation, but his former master seemed just as curious.

Rex led them to the bay of the hangar where the LaaT's were being kept. Most of the gunships, just pulled from the fighting on Cato Neimoidia, were covered in blaster marks and carbon scoring, and more than a few had been gutted and disassembled with their parts laid out over the bay. More oddly, a large number of them also had opaque screens laid over their nose plates.

"You repainted the nose art?" Anakin asked.

"We decided that it was time to change the theme, sir," Rex said. "The Lucky Lekku was getting old. Now we've got the best fighter in the galaxy gracing our gunships now."

"Best fighter…?" Anakin repeated, still not understanding.

Rex nodded to a group of clones that had been standing next to the nearest gunship. "Let's show the General what we've done, troopers."

On his cue, the clones moved forward and pulled away the screen that covered the gunship's nose.

Anakin's jaw fell as he stared at the newly painted ship, and he was vaguely aware of Obi-Wan making a noise of delight. On the gunship, the smirking figure of Ahsoka Tano, in full battle dress, greeted him as she leaned an elbow against a pile of dismembered B-1 battle droids. Aurebesh script surrounded the picture, reading, "SHE'S OUR COMMANDER."

"Every gunship in this hangar has this," Rex said.

Anakin walked up to the gunship and reached out a hand, trailing it over the painted visage of his former Padawan. He blinked back a tiny tear. "Rex… How did you… Why?"

"It's a tribute to Commander Tano," Rex said proudly. "She was a good fighter. If she can't be alongside us in battle anymore, then this is the next best thing." He looked carefully at Anakin. "Although, if you'd rather not be reminded of her, sir, we could-"

"No, it's amazing," Anakin said quickly, still gazing at the artwork. "I… I love it."

"We'll take out those Seppies in the name of the Commander," Rex said. "I think that she'd appreciate the sentiment."

"She would, Rex. She would," Anakin affirmed, gazing at the artwork.

* * *

 **Coruscant**

Days passed. Ahsoka's duties as a Senate Guard were becoming routine- long, dull night shifts, hours upon hours of wearing a helmet, and relentless vigilance. The feel of a blaster slung over her back had almost replaced the feel of a lightsaber in her hand.

She was currently in Riyo's office, standing to the side as Riyo worked through a stack of documents. Neither of them attempted to talk to the other. But that was nothing new. Ever since the incident after Tebathia's visit, it was like an invisible wall had come up between them.

Ahsoka didn't hold anything against Riyo for thinking that she had been guilty. Everyone had thought that. It was just painful to know that her friend had been as duped as everybody else. And somehow, Riyo knew that that knowledge hurt Ahsoka. So, they had been virtually avoiding each other ever since, and when they did talk, it was nothing more than careful pleasantries.

Ahsoka hated it. She desperately wanted to go back to the way it was before- before everything- when they were just two good friends, a Jedi and a Senator, enjoying each other's company.

Riyo's datapad let out a _bleep,_ bringing Ahsoka out of her thoughts. Riyo glanced at it briefly, before giving it a harder look, and then picking it up and squinting at the screen.

"What the…" She put the datapad down and leaned back, looking utterly mystified.

Ahsoka couldn't resist her curiosity. "What is it?" she asked.

Riyo gestured at the datapad. "Read it for yourself."

Ahsoka picked it up and read the message displayed on the screen. It read,

 ** _Private Message from: CARA TEBATHIA_**

 **Greetings, Senator Chuchi. I will be at your apartment at 1130 hours Coruscant standard time for an imperative discussion. Please notify me if you cannot see me at this time. Regards, Tebathia.**

She put the datapad down. "What's so strange about Senator Tebathia wanting to speak with you?"

Riyo picked up the datapad and tapped on it. "I have absolutely no idea what Tebathia wants from _me_. She should be talking to Senator Amidala, not me." She looked up at the chronograph on the wall. "Well, I guess she should be here any-"

Suddenly, Jorys's voice crackled over Ahsoka's helmet comm. "Tano, Senator Tebathia's here. Wants to enter. She says she has an appointment. Can you confirm this with Senator Chuchi?"

Ahsoka rolled her eyes and turned to Riyo. "Senator Tebathia's here," she said.

Riyo rubbed her forehead. "This is going to be an ordeal, isn't it? Let her in."

"She can come in, Jorys," Ahsoka said.

"Affirmative."

Several seconds later, the door to Riyo's office slid open and Cara Tebathia walked in, looking as regal as ever, except for the vicious scowl on her face.

"Hello, Senator. What brings you here?" Riyo asked evenly.

"The Sector Governance Bill," Tebathia said shortly, sitting down.

"I think that you would be better off talking to Senator Amidala, then," Riyo said.

"Well, I would _prefer_ that," Tebathia snapped. "She's more of a challenge than _you_."

Although she looked miffed at Tebathia's jab, Riyo didn't comment on it. "Nothing's stopping you from going to her," she said. "Why are you here?"

"I'll tell you why," Tebathia ground out. "Senator Amidala, for whatever reason, refused to talk to me when I asked her to meet to discuss the bill, and told me to go to _you_."

Riyo blinked. " _What_?! I-"

"I don't know _why_ she'd do that," Tebathia said. "But she insisted. So here I am. Would you enlighten me as to why Senator Amidala insists on having me meet with you?"

Riyo shuffled through the stack of documents on her desk. "I… don't exactly know."

"You don't-" Tebathia stopped, narrowing her eyes contemplatively. Finally, a slow smile spread across her face. "Oh… I see how it is, then. That's quite an interesting move by Amidala."

"What?" Riyo asked, tension stealing into her voice.

"It's nothing," Tebathia said. "Just an idea. Let's move on."

Riyo gave Tebathia a look of suspicion. "What did you want to discuss, then?"

"Well, I was _going_ to debate the merits of the Governance Bill, but since I've got to talk to you, I'll have to change my approach."

"I am perfectly confident in my ability to debate a political bill," Riyo said icily.

Tebathia gave her a patronizing smile. "I'm sure that you are, Senator," she said. "But I'd rather not listen to you."

Riyo stood up, slamming her hands down on her desk. "Senator Tebathia," she said in a forceful tone. "More than two thousand senators have pledged themselves against the Sector Governance Bill. I think that it's time that you took us seriously."

"That still isn't enough," Tebathia said, unfazed by the aggressive gesture. "Tell me, how many members are there in the Senate?"

"Fifteen thousand, three hundred and eighty," Riyo said automatically.

"Exactly," Tebathia said. "And you know all it takes to pass the bill is a simple majority vote. Even if you doubled your number of pledges, you still wouldn't have enough support to overcome the bill. It's a hopeless cause."

Riyo shook her head. "Don't count us out, Senator. Like democracy itself, we'll win this in the end."

Tebathia shrugged. "You just keep telling yourself that, Senator." She stood up. "I cannot stay any longer. Tell Senator Amidala that if she wishes to talk to me, I will gladly accept. Also, tell her that I will not be very happy if she defers me to one of her lackeys again. Good day."

Riyo's face flushed deep indigo, and she opened her mouth to make a rebuttal, but Tebathia had already turned away. Assessing the obvious futility of speaking further, Riyo chose to glare stonily at the senator's receding backside.

As soon as the door closed behind Tebathia, Riyo stalked out from behind her desk to the window, and fell silent, glaring at the skyline outside. Minutes passed. As Riyo stood there with no sign of moving, Ahsoka couldn't just watch anymore. If there was ever time to try to fix things up between them, it was right now. She stepped forward and put a hand on Riyo's shoulder in what she meant as a comforting gesture.

"Riyo…" she said carefully. "I… I have to ask, are you okay?"

Her reaction was not at all what Ahsoka expected.

"I'm a coward," Riyo said bitterly, still not looking away from the window. "And you think I'm one, too."

Ahsoka stumbled back. "What?! You- I- No!"

"I want to stop the Sector Governance Bill so badly, and yet, I got scared off by Senator Tebathia as soon as she lifted a finger. You heard me tell Chairman Papanoida that I planned to help lead the opposition to the bill. Now look at me. I can't even stand up for what I believe in. I still may be 'helping' Senator Amidala, but I gave up my chance to be a leader because I was afraid of failure. I'm a coward." Riyo finally turned around. A glistening line trailed down her cheek, and her eyes glittered with wetness. She was crying. "I collapsed under the pressure, and I hate myself for it," she continued. "But what I did is done. I can't change it now." She looked down and took a shaky breath. "I know how much you wanted me to succeed. I haven't forgotten your encouragement after our first encounter with Senator Tebathia. But it wasn't enough. Nothing would have been."

Ahsoka stared at Riyo in disbelief as she stood there, waiting for a response, looking lost and defeated. This wasn't like her at all.

She reached out and pulled Riyo into a hug. "I would never call you a coward," she said fiercely.

Riyo's voice cracked when she spoke. "How can you still believe in me? All I've done is disappoint you over and over again."

"You're my friend," Ahsoka said. "I wouldn't abandon you just because of this." She stepped back and took Riyo's hands in her own. "I want to help you."

"Help me? How?"

Ahsoka stopped as she realized that her mouth had run ahead of her rational thoughts, and she actually didn't know how she could help. "Well, actually…" she said evasively. "I… Uh…" The things that Anakin had used to train her were of the "blow stuff up with lightsabers" variety, and she couldn't exactly do that with Riyo. Even in her moments as a mentor, like with the youngling class on Ilum, or the Mandalorian cadet academy, those skills weren't exactly useful in working with a disheartened Pantoran senator. There wasn't anything she could do… unless…

Well, this was a long shot. She mulled over the idea and, okay, it _could_ work. At least it was better than nothing.

"Do you have anything to do right now?" she asked.

Riyo turned to look at the chronograph and shook her head. "Yes. I have to attend a meeting soon. Why?"

"That's no problem," Ahsoka said. "When's the first time tonight you have free time?"

"Twenty-one hundred hours."

"Perfect. Meet me in my room at that time. I have an idea for something that might help you."

Riyo shrugged. "I'll be there. I'm willing to try anything at this point."

* * *

That evening, at exactly twenty-one hundred standard hours, a knock sounded at Ahsoka's door.

"Come in," she said, not moving from her cross-legged position on the floor.

The door opened, and Riyo edged in, looking slightly pensive. "Hello," she said.

Ahsoka gestured at a cushion across from her. "Hey. Have a seat."

Riyo sat down, copying Ahsoka's cross-legged posture. "So… what did you want to do?"

"Meditation," Ahsoka said.

Riyo blinked. "Meditation?"

Ahsoka nodded. "Yup. I spent a pretty big fraction of my Jedi training learning to meditate." _Whether I liked it or not_ , she thought to herself. "So I know a thing or two about it."

Riyo shifted on her cushion and looked at Ahsoka curiously. "Don't get me wrong- I'm open to anything, but I'm sorry if I sound skeptical. How exactly do you think meditation will help me?"

"You'd be surprised," Ahsoka replied. "Meditation can help you find your inner strength and learn to use it to your advantage- in short, it can actually make you a stronger person." That wasn't wrong, but this technique was only meant for Jedi. This was where she was in unknown territory.

A look of concern passed over Riyo's face. "I see… But would meditation work for people who can't use the Force?"

Ahsoka swallowed. Her books on meditation that she'd just hastily re-read had all been in agreement that meditation was much more helpful for people with Force-sensitivity. They didn't say anything about if meditation could help non-Force-sensitives.

"Don't worry," Ahsoka said. "Meditation isn't just for Jedi. Anyone can do it. There's no duracrete set of rules for meditating. It can be done anywhere, at anytime. All you need is a space without distractions and a free mind."

"A 'free' mind?" Riyo repeated. "What exactly does that mean?"

"Oh, a free mind is the easiest requirement for meditation," Ahsoka said casually. This was the one part she knew to be completely true. "All it means is that no one is controlling your mind or your actions."

"Okay," Riyo said. "All right. I'll give this a try. What's the worst that could happen?"

Ahsoka waved her hand, dimming the lights with the Force. "Do you want to start now?"

"Yes."

"Now, I just want to say that anyone can meditate to relax, but meditating to improve yourself can be hard sometimes. You won't get results instantly. It'll take time before you see a difference. So don't be disappointed if nothing happens tonight."

Riyo nodded. "I understand."

Ahsoka took a preparatory breath. "Okay. Let's start with some breathing rhythms. Do you mind if I hold your hands while we do this?"

Riyo shook her head. "Not at all."

"Good," Ahsoka said. She took Riyo's hands, which were warm and soft, and a slight thrill went through her. "Close your eyes."

Riyo closed her eyes, and Ahsoka nodded and closed hers. "Let's begin."

She drew in a long, slow breath. "Breathe in," she said aloud. Riyo inhaled, albeit in a more shaky way than Ahsoka.

"Breathe out." Ahsoka gently exhaled, and Riyo followed the movement.

"In… Out. In… Out." She continued the mantra, inhaling and exhaling with each command. Riyo did the same, and her breathing settled into a rhythm as well. With each word, Ahsoka lowered the volume of her voice, until it was nothing more than a whisper. Their breathing was completely in sync by now.

"Are you relaxed?" Ahsoka asked quietly.

When Riyo spoke, the nervousness in her voice from earlier was gone. "I feel… more relaxed."

"Good. Now, what do you hear right now?"

"Only my breathing. And your voice."

"What do you feel?" Ahsoka asked.

"Your hands."

"Anything else?"

"…No," Riyo said, after a minute.

"Okay. _How_ do you feel right now?" Ahsoka asked.

"Calm," Riyo said.

"Dig deeper," Ahsoka said. "Look below the surface. If you left this room, what would be the first thing you felt?"

Riyo was silent for a minute. "Nervousness," she said finally. "I would feel… agitated. Restless."

Ahsoka nodded. "Concentrate on those feelings and try to erase them."

She felt a slight waver in Riyo's focus. "How?"

"Don't worry. It's not hard. Try to imagine that those feelings are tangible things in your mind. They have no shape, but you can see them through your mind's eye. Concentrate."

"Yes," Riyo said.

"Do you see them?" Ahsoka asked.

"I… I don't know," Riyo said. "I've never done this before."

"That's fine," Ahsoka said. "Meditation is slow. Not everything comes quickly. Just breathe. Keep searching for your feelings. You'll know it when you see them."

As Riyo fell quiet, Ahsoka turned her finely tuned senses to the Force itself. The mystic energy flowed around them, ready at her beck and call. She reached out with her senses, dipping into the fast-moving current.

The Force hummed. She hadn't done this in too long. She missed the feeling of potency that the Force lent to its users. Stamina, resolve, and vigor- these things were never in short supply among the Jedi. With a deep breath, she let the Force flow fully over them and dove in headfirst. Immersing herself in it was a refreshing jolt of energy.

But then something in the Force tugged at her, interrupting her reflections. She frowned. What was this? Curious, she reached out further, following the source of the pull down into the depths. It was leading her somewhere- she wasn't sure where- but it seemed to be getting warmer.

It was definitely warmer now, almost to the point of discomfort. Distantly, Ahsoka felt Riyo's hands shift in hers. Was she feeling the same thing?

And then Ahsoka was burning.

Not really burning, but a blazing heat so powerful surrounded her that she might as well have been on fire. She wasn't in Riyo's apartment on Coruscant anymore. The air was tinted orange now, and she was lying on rocky ground while plumes of molten rock erupted from the ground in the distance. On a cliff far above her, a figure stood with a blue lightsaber its side. Ahsoka wanted to scream out for help, but her entire body was frozen. The only thing that she could do was watch the distant figure. It stood at the cliff edge for a moment before turning away and leaving.

She was alone, paralyzed and helpless. Blinding pain was engulfing her, and she couldn't feel anything, couldn't move anything- and now a terrible blackness crept forward, threatening to swallow her whole. For a moment, she tried to resist, as she instinctively knew that this blackness was something terrible, something to be feared. But it was far too strong. She surrendered, and darkness rushed in, overwhelming her.

A scream brought her back to her senses. Her eyes flew open, and the present instantly returned to her. She was flat on her back, staring at the ceiling. Riyo was- was-

 _Riyo! Where was Riyo?!_

With some degree of effort, she pulled herself up onto her hands and knees, and saw Riyo lying on her side on the floor and shivering violently.

"Riyo? _Riyo?"_ Ahsoka called frantically. She scrambled over and kneeled next to the senator. "Are you okay?"

"C-cold," Riyo rasped.

"Riyo!" Ahsoka said, grasping Riyo's face in her hands. Her normally blue face was deathly pale, almost to the point of whiteness.

Riyo took a shuddering breath. "Cold. So cold."

"Please tell me that you're okay. Please," Ahsoka whispered.

"I'm- I'm fine," Riyo said, with obvious difficulty, but her voice was undeniably strong.

Ahsoka relaxed. "Oh, thank the Force," she said, still cradling Riyo's head. "What happened?"

"I-" Riyo stopped as she twitched with another ferocious shiver. "We were meditating, and then I started feeling odd, and then your hands heated up, and everything went cold, and I couldn't see _anything,_ and suddenly- I was back on the floor-" She looked around, as if to assure herself that she was safe, and then back up at Ahsoka. "What _was_ that?"

Ahsoka thought back to the fiery, dream-like sight, and she furrowed her brow in thought. "I had a Force vision. I think the vision affected you as well."

"How would I get a vision as well…? I'm not Force-sensitive."

"Maybe you…" Ahsoka trailed off, staring at Riyo. There was no easy answer to why they would share a vision. "Maybe you have some latent Force abilities- not enough to get noticed by the Jedi, of course, but enough to do stuff like that. Maybe I accidentally shared the vision with you because we were holding hands. Maybe-" She shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. The Force works in mysterious ways. Not even Master Yoda fully understands it sometimes."

Riyo worked her way into a sitting position. "Well- does that happen to you a lot?"

"I've… I've had a few visions lately." Ahsoka looked closely at Riyo. "Are you sure that you're okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Riyo said. And she did seem to be recovered. The blue was quickly returning to her skin, and she had stopped shivering. "What did you see in your vision?" she asked.

"There was fire…" Ahsoka said uneasily. "Someone with a blue lightsaber. And someone was suffering." This didn't make any sense. Why had their visions, which shouldn't have even happened, been almost completely different?

"What do you do about it?" Riyo asked. "When you see the future?"

"We don't try to change it," Ahsoka said automatically, echoing the teachings put in her by the Jedi. "Trying to fight the future just makes it happen faster."

"Oh," Riyo said. "So… you just let it happen?"

"Oh, we can try to work around them. It's certainly helpful to know what's coming. If you get a vision, you're supposed to tell the Jedi Council-"

She stopped short. She couldn't report this to the Jedi Council. That would mean walking into the Temple and facing the looks that she would get and the whispers behind her back, just to request an audience with the Council to tell them about one vision. It wasn't worth being reminded that she was an outsider. And she was having far too many visions for any normal Jedi. Thanks to Master Plo, the Jedi Council already knew about her other visions. If she went to the Council and reported this one, then they would definitely start asking questions that she didn't have any answers to, like: _Why are you having these visions? Why are you dreaming about the destruction of the Jedi? Are you going down the path of the Dark Side, by any chance?_ No, the last thing that she needed was any suspicion to be cast on her. Things would only go downhill from there. She would keep this latest vision to herself.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she said aloud, to Riyo.

"Yes," Riyo said.

"You're not scared?" Ahsoka asked. "Visions can be pretty vivid sometimes."

"I don't know..." Riyo said. She gazed off into the distance. "It didn't scare me. The darkness was kind of peaceful for a second… I screamed because of how painfully _cold_ it was."

Riyo's response didn't make Ahsoka feel better at all, but she nodded anyway and stood up. "Well, I think we did enough for tonight." She held out a hand to Riyo. "Did it feel like it helped at all?"

Riyo accepted it and got up from the floor. "A little, I think. Thank you."

"No problem."

"Can we do this again tomorrow night?" Riyo asked. "I mean, only if you want to."

"Sure," Ahsoka said. "Same time tomorrow night?"

"Same time. I'll see you tomorrow," Riyo said.

Riyo left the room, leaving her alone. With a wave, Ahsoka shut the lights off and sat in the darkened room, contemplating her vision. Despite her exhaustion, it would be a long time before she went to sleep.

 **A/N: Okay, so I figured that I should explain just how "AU" (Alternate Universe) this story is so far. One of the biggest changes that I'm making to the story right now is to extend the length of time between Ahsoka leaving the Jedi Order and the Battle of Coruscant. Also, in canon, Palpatine used his executive powers to pass the Sector Governance Bill. In here, he puts it up to a vote. That may be minor, but it helps to explain the delay before the Battle of Coruscant- Palpatine isn't ready to set his final plan in motion until he's gathered enough power around him, and a vote takes time to be done. It might (and probably will) become more AU later, but this is what's changed as of right now.**


	7. Chapter 7: Breakthrough

**Chapter 7: Breakthrough**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

Time passed. Riyo's work for the bill took over her time, and a steady stream of politicians began filling her suite every day. However, Tebathia did not return. It was

Ahsoka and Riyo's meditation fell into a routine. Every night for the next week, they would sit down across from each other and go through the motions. She couldn't say for sure whether it was working or not. Riyo had a _lot_ of anxiety stemming from the Sector Governance Bill, and she only seemed marginally better since they'd started.

And then, a week after they'd started, they made a breakthrough.

* * *

"How do you feel?" Ahsoka asked.

"On edge. Restless," Riyo replied, with closed eyes.

Ahsoka shifted forward, sending a wave of encouragement through her hands and into Riyo. "Just concentrate. Keep trying to visualize your feelings."

After being silent for a minute, Riyo sighed. "I don't think this is helping," she said. "We've been trying to do this for a week. I… I don't feel different."

"Don't give up just yet. I still have some things I want to try," Ahsoka said.

Riyo shifted. "All right."

Ahsoka watched as Riyo's face scrunched up with renewed concentration. She considered her options, of which there were fewer every night. There _were_ a couple things she hadn't tried, but the chance that they worked was almost nothing. She was just as discouraged as Riyo, even if she didn't show it. She had never been the biggest fan of meditation, anyway. The old masters in the Temple had always told her that meditation was second to nothing in improving a Jedi's prowess with the Force. She'd scoffed at that notion. How could meditation have ever been a better training tool than sparring and fighting and going out on missions and getting _real_ action? And so far, her assumptions had yet to be disproved. Meditation hadn't given them anything except that nightmarish vision, and Riyo was getting discouraged. Sooner or later, she would want to stop, and Ahsoka would have to oblige.

Kriff it, Ahsoka knew she could help Riyo. If so many Jedi believed that meditation was so great, then there had to be something to it. She had to keep going with this. Partly because of everything that Riyo had done for her- giving her a job, shelter, and money- and partly because Ahsoka just couldn't stand to see Riyo so unsure of herself. But doing this would be so much easier, too, if she just could ask one of the masters at the Temple, instead of having to do it all herself-

She stopped herself. _Focus._ She couldn't go down that line of thinking. It would only lead to suffering.

Time to try something new, even if she was scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly let the Force immerse her, cutting off all outside sensations and letting it flow through her like a river. Now, instead of concentrating on the Force flowing around them, as she had done in their previous meditation sessions, she reached out to Riyo's strong, yet frustrated, presence in the Force.

Like most non-Force-sensitives, her presence in the Force appeared as a shapeless, colorful blur of emotions. Ahsoka drifted towards the swirl until she was immersed in them. Each color in the blur represented a different emotion one as they swirled past her. Joy. Anger. Sadness. Jealousy. Fear. And many more. In the center of the mass of feelings was a bright, pulsing form that radiated life and energy. This was Riyo's consciousness- her soul, the entity in her that proved that she was part of the living Force like every other sentient being in the galaxy. The soul held all of her thoughts, memories, beliefs- all of the things that made Riyo who she was were in here.

Now what? There was a reason that she hadn't tried this before. It was pointless- and vaguely voyeuristic- to drift around in Riyo's feelings. And she certainly wasn't going to try venturing into Riyo's consciousness, because if just immersing herself in Riyo's feelings was a gray area, then poking around in her mind would be a blatant violation of privacy, not to mention an offense of the highest order among the Jedi.

With resignation, she watched the flow of emotions around her. As the mental current around her undulated, a wisp of joy, adorned in twisting yellow, floated up to her. She caught hold of it and stared in surprise (she didn't know that she could _catch_ an emotion, but this was the Force, so who knew); and held onto it, letting the feeling wash over her ( _laughter and bliss and the feeling of success_ ).

"Go on," she whispered, releasing the joy with a gentle push. It fluttered away, and then, as Ahsoka watched, it did something completely different. Instead of rejoining the cloud around them, it made a beeline towards Riyo's consciousness, and upon contact with the bright form, slowly sank in.

"Something just happened."

Riyo's voice pulled Ahsoka out of her concentration, and she opened her eyes to see Riyo's face, with closed eyes, lit up with excitement. "What is it?"

"I don't know what, but I can… I can see something. It's right there in front of me," Riyo said. "I think there's more, too."

Ahsoka's heart rose. This could only mean one thing. "Riyo, that's what we've been working for all this time! You're learning to see emotions!" Oh, _Force_ , she'd done it, _they'd_ done it, they were finally-

"Really? What- what do I do now?"

"It's easy! Just reach out and touch them!"

"Touch them with what?" Riyo asked.

"Oh… Right." This was supposed to be a Jedi technique, Ahsoka reminded herself. Riyo still couldn't use the ethereal plane the way she could. "Uh… They're your feelings, so you can control them."

Riyo furrowed her brow. "Am I not controlling my emotions already?"

"Well, yes, but not at the level of a Jedi Master. Their control is masterful."

"And you think I can have the emotional composure of a Jedi Master?" she asked, the slightest hint of doubt creeping into her voice.

" _Yes!_ " Ahsoka said emphatically. "That's the point! If you can see your emotions like a Jedi, that's the stepping stone to getting mastery of your feelings!"

She squeezed Riyo's hand, feeling the excitement building in the senator. "All you have to do now is follow my lead."

But in her exultation, a small part of her mind felt triumphant for a very different reason. If she could do things that the Jedi Order had never even attempted, then her life was the furthest thing from finished. She could continue on her own path without the Jedi. That tiny whisper in her mind- it told her: _You can show them just what they lost._

* * *

The next morning, Riyo and several other Anti-Governance politicians were seated at the couches in Senator Amidala's suite in a conference, while Ahsoka, in her silent role as Riyo's bodyguard, looked on. As she observed the meeting, she kept a worried eye on Riyo, looking for any difference in how she held herself.

But it wasn't hard to notice an improvement. Riyo was relaxed and professional, and more importantly, seemed much more confident in herself. All of the nervousness that she usually carried simply wasn't there.

As Riyo outlined a plan of action for attracting support from various galactic sectors, Ahsoka felt a surge of pride for her friend. This was what they'd been working towards- to have Riyo at her finest, powerful and poised. Now it was time to see if she could retain that sense of authority in high-pressure situations.

And speaking of higher-pressure situations…

At the end of the meeting, as the senators began filtering out of the room, Senator Amidala approached Riyo.  
"Senator Chuchi, do you have a moment?" she asked.

"Of course," Riyo said, turning to face the senator. "What do you need?"

Amidala paused for a moment before answering. "Senator Tebathia requested to speak with me today, but I have a prior obligation that I cannot reschedule. Would you be willing to meet with her in my place?"

Ahsoka looked at Amidala, not quite believing what had just been said. And neither did Riyo.

Riyo stared at Senator Amidala with an expression of outright disbelief. "Senator, I don't understand. Are Senator Organa and Senator Iblis indisposed as well? There are plenty of others who would be much more capable of debating with Senator Tebathia than I am."

"I noticed that you were quite active in the discussion. The initiatives you suggested have a great deal of merit."

Riyo nodded. "Thank you."

"That professionalism that you displayed- it's the reason why I'm asking you this. I feel that you are as capable as anyone else in this Anti-Governance coalition. Would you do it?"

For a moment, Ahsoka watched nervously as Riyo contemplated Amidala's request.

"I'll do it," she said finally.

Ahsoka gave a silent cheer.

"On one condition." Riyo folded her arms. "I have some questions."

Amidala shifted. "I cannot give any guarantee of an answer, but ask away."

"You haven't given me an explanation for why you deliberately told Senator Tebathia to come to me last week," Riyo said. "I asked you twice, and you've done nothing but evade an answer. And now you want me to meet with her again." She tilted her head. "This isn't like you, Senator. You don't usually put such a veil of secrecy over your actions. What are you trying to do? Why are you so intent on setting up encounters between Senator Tebathia and me?"

Amidala fidgeted with her hands for a moment, and took a deep breath before answering. "This is a long story, Senator Chuchi."

"I have more than enough time to hear it," Riyo said insistently.

Amidala nodded. "As you know, when the Senate goes to vote on the bill, the proponents of the bill and its opposition will both be given a chance to make a speech before the vote is cast. Obviously, as the leader of the opposition, I am the one who will make the speech. But, on the chance that I am somehow unable to deliver a speech on the day of the vote, it would fall to someone else to give the speech. As of right now, there is a sizable chance that that exact scenario may happen." She put her hand on Riyo's shoulder. "And in that case, I want that person to be you."

Riyo's eyes widened, as did Ahsoka's.

"What?!" Riyo said in pure shock. " _Me?! Why?"_

"You've addressed the Senate before," Amidala said. "Most notably, during the Trade Federation's blockade of your planet."

"But- that was two years ago!" Riyo protested. "I haven't done anything noteworthy since!" She stopped, and took a moment to compose herself. "Senator," she began in a much calmer tone, "Why not Senator Organa? He has just as much clout in the Senate as you do."

"Bail is the smartest man in the Senate, but he's a thinker. A pacifist. He may have power, but his actions have always spoke much louder than his words. And in this case, we need words, not actions. And that's where you come in, Senator Chuchi. I've seen you speak. You're passionate, convincing, and ardent in your beliefs. That what this coalition needs, come voting day." Amidala smiled. "Do you know what I see when I look at you? I see myself."

Riyo blushed. "Senator, I hardly think that-"

"Think about it. A young senator's planet falls under unjust siege from the Trade Federation. When the Senate refuses to take action despite her pleas, she is forced to return home and successfully stop the blockade by herself. Does that not describe both of us?"

Riyo opened her mouth to reply, stopped, and finally, shrugged in defeat. "Senator... I'm tremendously flattered, but I think your trust is misplaced."

"I have confidence in you," Amidala said. "After all, you have Ahsoka at your side." She nodded to Ahsoka.

Surprised, Ahsoka stammered for an answer. "Er- Senator, I wouldn't exactly count on-"

"No, I know this." Amidala said, smiling slightly. "You two complement each other perfectly. And as I've learned, when I team up with a powerful Jedi, good things happen."

Riyo looked at Ahsoka briefly before turning back to Amidala. "Senator Amidala," she said. "I can understand your reasons for wanting me as your alternate. But I have one more question. _Why_ do you think that you won't be able to give the speech in the first place?"

For the first time in the conversation, Amidala looked uncomfortable. "This is a question that I can't answer fully, Senator Chuchi."

"Tell me what you can," Riyo said.

"There are things going on right now that nobody can know about," Amidala said. "Secrets that would shake the Republic to its foundation if they were known. Eventually, it will be found out, but I plan on concealing it for as long as possible."

"What could possibly be more important than the future of democracy?" Riyo asked.

Amidala winced. "Believe it or not, Senator Chuchi, I've asked myself that very question."

 **A/N: I'm so sorry that I made all my wonderful readers wait this long, only to get such a short chapter. But believe me, I will be updating this fast and furious over the next couple of weeks. I had a serious case of writer's block, as I was stuck on what to write for this and the next several chapters. But now all systems are go. I have a question for my readers: Where do you think this story will go?**


	8. Chapter 8: The Story Of A Pantoran

**Chapter 8: The Story Of A Pantoran**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

Cara Tebathia was one of the most unashamedly arrogant people that Ahsoka had ever met. Unfortunately, the senator was the rare individual that could afford to be conceited. There was a reason why she was at the top of the totem pole in the Senate. She was a masterful politician, gifted at swaying anyone to her views by means fair or foul. In debates, she adroitly handled opposition, fighting with a silver tongue and an infinitely composed manner that never failed her.

But considering all of these things just made what Ahsoka was witnessing at that moment even sweeter. If there was such a thing as an upset in debating, she was watching it right now, in Riyo's office.

"-when the Ruusan Reformations were enacted, they decentralized power from the Chancellor's office and the Core Worlds, and the Army of the Light was disbanded, all in an effort to ensure that the Republic would rule as a benevolent democracy and not a military dictatorship. And now, nine hundred and eighty years later, everything that was won at the Seventh Battle of Ruusan could all come tearing down, thanks to the Sector Governance Bill." Riyo stopped and gave Senator Tebathia, who looked supremely uncomfortable, a hard glare. "And there you have it, Senator. What could you _possibly_ see in the Sector Governance Bill that convinces you to support it?"

From the minute that Senator Tebathia had entered the room, Riyo had controlled the conversation, pushing her agenda forward while never letting Tebathia say more than a few words. With the senator's rhythm disrupted, Riyo had spent the last fifteen or so minutes giving what amounted to a lecture on why the Sector Governance Bill was a Bad Idea, with a healthy dose of the history of democracy in the Republic thrown in. Ahsoka was bursting with happiness at it all.

The usual smirk that Tebathia carried while facing Riyo had long since vanished, and she looked deadly serious as she leaned forward. "First of all, I'm glad to see that you grew a backbone, Senator," she said coolly.

Ahsoka glanced at Riyo anxiously, but she was unaffected by the jab. "And?" Riyo asked, sounding only faintly annoyed- it was the tone of someone who'd stepped in some unpleasant thing, not the tone of someone who'd just been insulted by a powerful senator.

Tebathia shifted, and- and- was that a flare of _frustration_ that Ahsoka had just felt in the Alsakanian senator? Her feelings of pride for Riyo grew tenfold.

"Senator Chuchi, the reason to support the bill is obvious. It has the purpose of expediting the process of ending the Clone Wars and nothing more, which is something that we can all agree is better for the Republic. All of your fears of the death of democracy are unfounded."

"On the contrary, my fears are more than well-founded," Riyo said. "I do wish for a speedy end to the war, but this bill is not the way to do it. If the bill is truly meant only to speed up the end of the war, then why is this not a temporary act to only be used for the duration of the war?"

Tebathia opened her mouth to answer, but Riyo pushed on. "I don't need to hear an explanation. This bill is a thinly disguised attempt to centralize power in the Core Worlds and turn the Republic into an imperialistic governing body."

Tebathia crossed her arms. "Centralization of power is something that the Republic sorely needs in the middle of this war. The Separatists have lasted this long purely because of the Republic's inability to work as a cohesive war machine."

" _The Republic isn't supposed to be a war machine!_ " Riyo screamed, slamming her hands down onto her desk.

Ahsoka nearly jumped at Riyo's reaction, and a quick glance at Tebathia confirmed that she was just as surprised by the outburst.

"The Republic was designed as a peaceful entity that would guard freedom in this galaxy for all time! The Sector Governance Bill is going to bring down all of that, and replace it with… with…" Riyo gestured wildly. "A virtual dictatorship. The Moffs would render the Senate useless, and the Chancellor would have practically all of the power in the Republic. He wouldn't even be a Chancellor. He'd be… he'd be a king- no, an _emperor_." She broke off and glared at Tebathia. "I cannot, and will not, let that happen."

Tebathia stared at Riyo with a mystified expression for several moments, before she smirked briefly. "Senator Chuchi," she said calmly. "Your paranoia is astounding. I understand that what happened on your home planet may affect your view of politics in general, but you really should learn the difference between necessary concentration of power and a dictator."

Riyo jerked, as if she'd been suddenly slapped, and she drew herself up, her eyes sparkling with fury. She stepped out from behind her desk and stared down Tebathia, looking no less enraged than a wild akul. Judging from the sudden turmoil of emotions, Ahsoka realized that Tebathia had just struck some sort of nerve in Riyo, and the satisfaction that she sensed in Tebathia meant that this was exactly what the Alsakanian senator had wanted.

But then, Riyo took a deep breath, and most of the anger drained out of her eyes. A short silence fell, and she was the one to break it. "I'm disappointed that you are resorting to personal jabs, Senator," she said in a much less affected voice. "I would expect more from such a refined politician."

"You can act offended all you want," Tebathia said. "But it doesn't change the fact that you can't get past your personal bias on this bill."

"How about, instead of sniping at each other endlessly, we actually try to work to reach a resolution?" Riyo asked snappishly. "My side has discussed the idea of a compromise, and we think that there is a scenario in which we could approve the bill."

Tebathia leaned forward. "Oh?" she asked, with an infinitesimal tone of curiosity. "This compromise… What are its terms?"

Riyo reached for her datapad and turned it on. "We have a list of proposed amendments to the Sector Governance Bill. If these changes were made, then we would approve it."

"Do tell," Tebathia said.

Riyo began to read aloud from her datapad. "First of all, the bill will be only a temporary act to be used for the duration of the war. When the Confederation of Independent Systems surrenders, the bill will be immediately discarded. Second, the Moffs will only have authority in the Outer Rim Territories and nowhere else. Third, the Senate and not the Supreme Chancellor will select the Moffs. Fourth, the Moffs will report to the Senate and not directly to the Chancellor. And finally, the Chancellor will agree to give up part of his emergency powers if the bill is approved by the Senate."

Tebathia sat in silence for a moment, digesting the information. After a long pause, she spoke. "No. Absolutely not. Just _one_ of those would cripple the effectiveness of the bill. We wouldn't make a concession to any of those demands."

Riyo sighed. "Then this bill shall not pass."

Tebathia shook her head. "But of course it will. My side still has a vast advantage over yours. Gathering enough voters for your side is still an impossible task. Your numbers-"

"Numbers mean nothing right now," Riyo said. "There is still two weeks until the vote, and I can say with complete confidence that our numbers will grow. We can easily double our pledges."

Tebathia barked a laugh. "Ha! Senator, you're being delusional!""

The sharp rebuttal seemed to unsettle Riyo, to Ahsoka's dismay. Riyo hesitated as she opened her mouth to speak, and unfortunately, that was the opening that Tebathia wanted.

"You've just confirmed my suspicions, Senator Chuchi. I thought that perhaps you had actually grown a backbone, but you're only parroting the ravings of your party and hoping that it'll sound original." She shook her head. "I wonder how long it took for Senator Amidala to drill all that into your head."

By this point, Riyo looked just as lost and out of her depth as the previous meetings. Ahsoka gritted her teeth. She probably wasn't supposed to interfere in things like this, but Tebathia was testing her.

Tebathia stood up. "I've had enough of this meeting. Tell the good Senator Amidala that I would infinitely prefer if she talked to me, instead of sending a mouthpiece to do it for her. Otherwise, she's making my job too easy. Good day, Senator Chuchi." She turned and left the room without another word.

As soon as she was sure that Tebathia wasn't re-entering the room, Ahsoka pulled off her helmet and slung it at the door, not caring about the _crack_ that sounded as it hit. "What a _sleemo_ ," she seethed, turning to Riyo, who sat with her elbows on her desk, and her hands formed two fists that propped up her face as she wearily stared off into space.

"How does she do it?" Riyo asked, her voice leaden. "You can talk her into the ground for an hour straight, and she still finds a way to leave you speechless."

"I'll tell you how she does it!" Ahsoka growled, coming over to Riyo's desk. "She's a lowdown, stinking-"

"No," Riyo said abruptly, sitting up. "It was my fault."

" _Your fault?!_ " Ahsoka stared at Riyo, astonished. "How was that your fault?!"

"I let her get to me," Riyo said. "I shouldn't have, but after that slight to myself and _my_ planet, after what it had to endure…" She scowled. "I won't ever let her, or anyone, mock Pantora." She picked up her datapad, glowered at something on it, and tossed it aside. " _War machine_ ," she growled. "What a farce. Let's see _her_ planet get brought to its knees..."

There it was again. Ahsoka's curiosity got the better of her. "May I ask why it's such an insult?" she asked.

Riyo didn't answer immediately. Instead, she sat back in her chair, sighed, and rubbed her forehead.

"I'm sorry," Ahsoka said hurriedly. "You don't have to answer- if it's too private-"

"No, it's fine." Riyo sighed. "You have a right to know, but… I just… it's just a very long story. A hard one to tell, too." She paused and looked off to the side. "It goes back to before I was even born. That's the best place to start. Are you sure you don't mind hearing this?"

Ahsoka took a seat across from Riyo. "Not at all."

"All right." Riyo took a deep, shaking breath. "Forty years ago," she began, "Pantora was a peaceful and democratic planet. At that time, there were two major political parties on the planet's government- the Expansionists and the Economists. The Expansionists believed that Pantora could further its power by taking sovereignty of the other planets in its system. On the other hand, the Economists argued that Pantora should avoid territorial aggression and instead concentrate on maintaining a stable economy. The Expansionists mostly came from the three smaller eastern continents of Pantora. The Economists mostly came from a giant landmass that is the only continent in the planet's western hemisphere. Because of the geographic disparity, a rift formed between the two parties. The Economists had always accused the Expansionists of exploiting the western continent to feed and supply the north with raw goods and doing nothing for the West's benefit, and because of this, they feared that Pantorans would be little more than imperialistic warmongers if they enlarged their territory. On the other side, the Expansionists thought that the Economists were stuck in the past and holding Pantora back from all that it could achieve."

"Who was right?" Ahsoka asked.

Riyo shrugged. "Honestly… I don't know. Both sides had their virtues. The Economists were right in that the Eastern continents really were using the West like it was nothing more than a colony. But expansion could have done _so much_ for Pantora. Several of the uninhabited planets around us had valuable natural resources that, if used, could have created an economic boom that would've reduced the East's dependence on the West for raw goods." She shook her head. "But that didn't happen. The government ground to a halt as the Economists and Expansionists dug in and fought. Soon, the arguments had devolved into an 'East versus West' conflict. The situation came to a head when, in the quadrennial elections for the Pantoran Assembly, the Expansionists gained a narrow majority in the government. Unfortunately, it came out later that the Expansionists had committed voter fraud to get elected. The Economists were livid. They walked out of the Assembly, created a new government in the West, and declared independence. In response, the West invaded the East. And so began the Pantoran Civil War."

Riyo had a look of immense sadness on her face as she gazed out of the window. Ahsoka, sitting by now, was listening with rapt attention. " _Force_ ," she breathed. "A civil war? It must have been devastating." She knew the havoc that the Clone Wars were wreaking on the galaxy, and even in just a planetary conflict, the damage would still be unthinkable.

"It was," Riyo said. "Forty years later, Pantora still bears the scars of the conflict. It was a long, ugly war. Both sides underestimated each other. Tens of millions of people died. It went on for twelve years."

"Twelve?!"

"There was a reason they called it the 'Forever War," Riyo said, without a hint of humor. "The Republic tried to intervene twice and failed both times. It was into this picture, nine years into the war, that a determined Easterner by the name of Chi Cho stepped onto the scene."

"Your former chairman?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yes. Chi Cho made a name for himself during the war by winning a series of decisive battles as a general in the Eastern army. He was discharged after being wounded, so he turned his attention to politics, as the Pantoran Assembly elections were approaching. Cho gained an ardent following and was elected in an overwhelming victory to be the Chairman of the Assembly. Once in office, he began centralizing power in the East around himself, claiming that this would be the only way to end the war. He had a name for his plans. Do you know what he called it?" Riyo asked. "He called it 'War Machine."

"War Machine," Ahsoka repeated, as she remembered Riyo's outburst- _The Republic isn't supposed to be war machine!-_ and it all made sense to her. " _Oh_."

"Soon Cho had complete control over the military and the Assembly, and it was his word that dictated what the East did over the last two years of the war. The West collapsed under Cho's brutal aggression and surrendered. And then after the war, the Pantoran Assembly made a terrible decision."

"What was it?"

"They believed that there was still a threat of insurgency and terrorism in the West, so they agreed to let Chairman Cho keep all of the emergency powers that he had accumulated in the war until he personally declared that the threat was over." Riyo shook her head. "A bad, bad idea. Chi Cho now had the power to rule as a dictator. And he did. Pantora had a slow recovery from the war- a recovery made even slower by the fact that Cho had to approve of almost any governmental action. He made sure that no one opposed his rule, as he came down hard on political enemies, and some of the loudest dissenters against him met their ends in peculiar 'accidents.' The political parties disappeared, as everyone on Pantora _had_ to support Cho, whether they liked it or not. For twenty-five years, that was how Pantora was ruled."

"Oh," Ahsoka whispered. "That's why Tebathia said… That's why you… Force, that sounds terrible. So it took Chairman Cho's _death_ to end all that?"

"Yes. His death." Riyo's expression shifted to something that Ahsoka couldn't quite read- shame? Remorse? Whatever it was, her Force presence had turned deeply unhappy with it.

"Chi Cho's death ended the completely legal reign of a dictator. Nearly everyone agrees that Pantora has been better off without him since, but is leading a person to their death ever the right thing to do?"

Ahsoka's eyes widened and she leaned forward, not believing what had just been implied. "Riyo, you aren't saying-?"

"What I'm telling you right now- I'm doing this because I trust you, and I think you deserve to know this about me," Riyo said. "If you don't think you can hear what I'm about to say, then tell me to stop right now."

Ahsoka's mind reeled. She had a small idea of what Riyo was going to reveal, but to find out for sure-

"Tell me," she said. "I want to know."

Riyo nodded and sat back. "Three years ago, there was a sizable underground movement in the Pantoran Assembly to remove Chi Cho from power. I was still just a freshly elected Senator, and I'd only just joined the movement. Around this time, Chi Cho revived the idea of Expansionism. As he set his sights on planets around Pantora, he got the Republic to install a military outpost on the seemingly uninhabited planet of Orto Plutonia. When we lost contact with the outpost, Cho demanded to go with the Republic to investigate the disappearance. At this time, someone in the Assembly discovered an obscure record of a small expedition to Orto Plutonia several centuries ago that had landed on the planet and ran into a group of creatures that attacked the explorers, killing most of the party. The area where the explorers had gone was almost exactly where the Republic had installed their outpost. The Assembly saw an opportunity- if Chi Cho was to somehow meet an _unfortunate_ end with these deadly natives- then they would finally be free of his dictatorial regime. And that was when they turned to me. Chi Cho had asked me to accompany him to Orto Plutonia. The Assembly told me how _convenient_ it would be if Cho didn't leave that planet alive." Riyo shook her head "It wasn't murder- I never laid a finger on him, and never once did I urge him to take any actions that would have led to his death. In fact, I tried to dissuade him. But-" she narrowed her eyes- "Yet, I was there, inflating his ego, letting him lord over me, and letting him think that he could control the natives as easily as he thought he could control me. I did my job _perfectly_. Cho declared war on the natives and promptly got killed in a skirmish. From there, it was a matter of contacting the Assembly, making peace with the natives, and making sure that the Republic suspected no foul play. The deed was done. Chi Cho was dead, and democracy reigned again on Pantora."

Riyo stopped, and silence hung in the air between them as Ahsoka sat in shock, simply trying to process the story that Riyo had told.

"I hated every second of it," Riyo said abruptly. "The fact that I was leading someone to their death- even a dictator who destroyed the liberties of the people- _I hated it_. That's why I'm a Senator, because my only weapons are my words. I can't stand the thought that I played a role, however small, in killing someone, and I try to forget it as much as possible. Anything that reminds me of it…" Riyo closed her eyes. "Well, you saw what Tebathia did to me. And this whole Sector Governance Bill business- it keeps reminding me of Cho, which in turn reminds me of what I-I did-" Her voice broke. "It's wearing me down. If people knew about my past, they wouldn't be so dismissive of me. But I don't want anybody to know." She smiled ruefully. "Who would ever think that I was deadly? I, a small, young, and unassuming senator from a peaceful planet? Oh, if the truth was out there… I, the daughter of two Pantoran Special Forces soldiers, both of whom fought in the Pantoran Civil War, who enrolled me in the best military academy in this corner of the galaxy. I graduated with top honors." She glanced at Ahsoka. "May I see your rifle?"

Ahsoka blinked. "Why?"

"You'll see," Riyo said.

Ahsoka shrugged, unhooked her Senate-issued rifle from its shoulder strap, and handed it to Riyo. "Now, what did you-"

"See that statue?" Riyo asked, nodding to a durasteel sculpture of a Pantoran soldier that stood to the right of the door.

"Yes, but what-"

Suddenly, in a span of just seconds, Riyo disassembled the gun into its constituent parts, deftly reassembled it, and without missing a beat, hefted it to her shoulder, turned off the safety, and fired a shot across the room at the statue.

Ahsoka twisted around to see that the blaster bolt had landed square between the eyes of the statue- a deadly shot if the target had been alive. She stared, dimly aware that her jaw had fallen practically to the floor. After several more seconds of gawking to ensure that _that had just happened_ , she turned back to Riyo, who had quietly put the gun back down on her desk, her Force presence now roiling with pure anguish.

"Now you know," Riyo whispered. "I don't know how much longer I can take this."

Ahsoka got up from her seat, walked around to Riyo's side of the desk, and wrapped her in a fierce hug. "I don't blame you for a second," she said. "I would've done the same thing."

"Really?"

"Really," Ahsoka confirmed, and she meant it.

"I can't thank you enough," Riyo said, her voice still choked with emotion.

There was such a deep feeling of gratitude coming off her that Ahsoka didn't let go of the embrace for a very long time.

 **A/N: That's the end of Chapter 8. What do you think? Don't hesitate to leave a review. Thanks for reading. Air Force Muffin out.**


	9. Chapter 9: Stilled Fury

**Chapter 9: Stilled Fury**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

Another week passed, bringing the vote on the Sector Governance Bill closer. Riyo's workload seemed to grow daily, and she spent ever-increasing hours in her office, working through documents, poring over her datapad, or conferring with Anti-Governance senators.

During the long stretches that Riyo spent in her office, Ahsoka was perfectly happy to spend that time in there with her. Sometimes as she relaxed in Riyo's office, her thoughts would turn to the ongoing war, and she would wonder just how much she was really doing. She was doing _something_ \- helping to protect the future of democracy was no slouch- but the gnawing worry in her that there was more she could be doing was incessant.

Still, maybe this was what she needed- a reprieve from the nonstop action after the ordeal she'd been through. It was relaxing, and despite her longing to be back on the battlefield, she appreciated the peace that the last three and a half weeks had brought. She would be back in the fight later, but for now, there was no hurry. And even if Riyo appeared to be safe, Ahsoka had concluded that she wouldn't leave Riyo's side without her consent. Hopefully, after the vote on the Sector Governance Bill, Riyo would feel safe enough to dismiss her, and she would be free to venture out into the galaxy and pick a fight with the Separatists. If Riyo didn't feel safe enough by then… Well, she would cross that bridge when she came to it. She was still two weeks away from having enough money to get to Cato Neimoidia.

Over the last couple of days, she'd fallen into a habit of just gazing at Riyo. It was oddly enchanting to watch the Pantoran senator work. When she was deep in her work, her fingers flying across her datapad, she would reach up with a hand and play with her lavender hair, twisting the neatly arranged braids around her fingers and fiddling with the various hairpieces. Ahsoka had started to wonder what Riyo looked like with her hair down. Of course, Riyo took out her hairpieces sometimes, but she always kept her braids done up.

It was in the midst of one of these serious contemplations that Riyo spoke.

"Ahsoka, do you mind if I turn on the HoloNet News?" she asked.

"Hm? Oh, not at all," Ahsoka replied. However, before Riyo could do anything else, she held up her hand. "Wait. Allow me." She waved her hand and used the Force to push the power button on the holoscreen.

Riyo smirked. "Thanks, but you do know I could've just used this, right?" She picked something up off her desk and held it up- a holoscreen remote.

Ahsoka shrugged. "You could've, but what's the point of having me as a bodyguard if you don't take advantage of my unique skills?"

"Oh, I've needed your skills plenty of times," Riyo said, leaning back in her chair as she turned up the volume on the holoscreen.

Ahsoka turned to watch the HoloNet. As usual, the broadcast was little more than pro-Republic propaganda, with almost no actual information on the war. Still, she watched it carefully, looking for any signs of Anakin or Obi-Wan. According to the news, the Republic was making "good progress" on the planet of Cato Neimoidia (despite the fact that if the Republic really had been making good progress like they'd been saying for the last two months, then they would've captured the planet several times over by now), a Separatist expeditionary force had been repelled on Ryloth, and an agreement had been reached in the senate over a tax on Class B working droids. Unfortunately, there was no sign of Anakin or Obi-Wan.

Force, Ahsoka really hated being out of the loop. She started to turn away, before a horribly familiar voice came from the holoscreen, precluded by the ominous words " _SPECIAL_ _REPORT_."

" _The Jedi are the ones responsible for this war-_ "

Ahsoka bolted up out of her chair and as the twisted, scowling visage of Barriss Offee greeted her on the holoscreen, spitting out the speech that had long since been burned into Ahsoka's memory. Every hateful word coming from the screen felt like a dagger thrust into Ahsoka's heart as she faced her fallen friend.

"- _My attack on the Temple was an attack on what the Jedi have become, an army fighting for the Dark Side-_ "

" _-fallen from the light that we once held so dear,_ " Ahsoka mouthed along with the video. " _This Republic is failing. It's only a matter of time,_ " she finished.

The image of Barriss froze as a headline flashed: TEMPLE BOMBER BARRISS OFFEE SENTENCED. Then it changed to a solemn-looking human reporter standing in front of the Jedi Temple.

"-Breaking news from the Jedi Temple right now, as the Jedi Barriss Offee was given her sentence today for bombing the Jedi Temple. Previously, the Jedi Order and the Chancellor had agreed to try Offee as a Jedi-"

Ahsoka choked. _"What?!"_

"-as such, the Jedi would choose her punishment, and just now they've reached a decision. We're live right now as Jedi Master and High Council Member Mace Windu delivers a statement."

The camera panned to the left, revealing a crowd of reporters gathered around a podium on the steps of the Jedi Temple. Mace Windu stood behind the podium, and, as Ahsoka watched, he raised his hand, causing the crowd to fall silent.

"After much deliberation, the Jedi Order has decided that, in punishment for her crimes against the Jedi Order, Barriss Offee will be imprisoned for life without possibility of parole. Thank you." With that, Windu left the podium and walked back up the steps of the Jedi Temple.

Ahsoka's helmet dropped out of her hands.

 _WHAT?!_

The Jedi had kicked her out of the Order and left her to the Republic's farcical military tribunal, but Barriss, the _actual bomber_ , was safe and sound? Nobody had come to _her_ defense except Anakin, and now here was the _whole Order_ protecting Barriss?!

The reporter had come back on screen and was talking again. "Of course, you can't mention this trial without mentioning the mistaken accusation of Ahsoka Tano, the former Padawan of Anakin Skywalker. In comparison to the Order's treatment of Tano-"

Where had the Order's compassion for all forms of life been when they had let _her_ get sentenced to death?!

Nothing had ever been so unfair in her entire life.

Barriss reappeared on the holoscreen, and her horrible confession began playing again. Unwittingly, Ahsoka's hands squeezed into fists as she watched. And then a new emotion began to rise in her.

 _Rage._

A small fracture appeared on the holoscreen in front of her. As she watched, it quickly grew into a web of cracks that dissolved Barriss's face into an indistinguishable green, and now the very ground seemed to be shaking under her feet- the room was literally vibrating with her anger, fueled by a terrible storm of Force energy that poured out from her- she squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back a rush of tears and feeling as if her and everything in the world was going to fly apart. A malevolent feeling was building up inside her, trying to claw its way out- she couldn't hold it in- and then, just as she opened her mouth to release it-

"Ahsoka…"

A tentative set of hands took up Ahsoka's clenched fists. Riyo's voice cut through the storm in Ahsoka, and she froze.

"Ahsoka," Riyo said again, in a stronger voice.

Ahsoka took a shuddering breath. It felt as if the only things grounding her to reality and holding back the flood were Riyo's hands. Instinctively, she grasped for more, unclenching her fists and pulling Riyo forward into a needy embrace. Riyo gasped, and then, realizing what Ahsoka wanted, squeezed Ahsoka tightly. Ahsoka buried her face in Riyo's shoulder, savoring her warm embrace, and finally allowed herself to cry- hot, furious tears that came streaming down her face. Riyo patted Ahsoka's shoulder, saying nothing. But her embrace was all that Ahsoka needed. Just as suddenly as it had come, she felt the torrent of rage recede.

"How could they do that?" Ahsoka asked through her tears. By giving Barriss more lenience than they had ever showed to her, the Jedi Order was saying, _We care more about a convicted terrorist than you._

"I don't know," Riyo said helplessly. "I'm just as shocked as you are."

"It's- it's like they just didn't care about me," Ahsoka said. "Am I _nothing_ to them?"

"I don't know," Riyo said again. She paused, and then her next words made Ahsoka's heart leap.

"But I know _I_ care about you," she said.

Ahsoka's eyes flew open. But before she could respond, she forgot her surprise as she saw what had happened to the office. It seemed as if just about everything had been damaged. The holoscreen was fractured all over and the statue to the next to the door was in just as bad shape. Most alarmingly, the transparisteel window that made up one entire wall of Riyo's office had a massive crack running across it, looking dangerously like it might break and leave nothing between them and the four miles down to solid ground.

She'd done all of this.

"Oh, _Force,_ " Ahsoka said. "Riyo, I'm so sorry. I just- I didn't-"

"Don't worry," Riyo said. "You have a right to be angry at what they did."

"But, Riyo, I _can't_ get angry. Terrible things happen when I get angry. _Dangerous_ things." A feeling of deep regret filled her. How could she ever have felt this much hatred for someone, even Barriss? How could she have had that moment of weakness? This wasn't supposed to happen to her.

She turned back to Riyo. "Did you really mean what you said? About you caring about me?"

"Of course I did," Riyo said without hesitation. "Why wouldn't I?"

Ahsoka felt more tears gathering, and she rapidly blinked them back before jumping forward and hugging Riyo again with as much passion as she could muster.

" _Thank you_ ," she gasped, as her already sizable affection for the Pantoran senator grew by a factor of ten.

* * *

That night, in her room, Ahsoka sat on the floor across from Riyo as they went through their nightly meditation session. She sighed as she studied herself in the Force. Her presence, even several hours after the incident with Barriss, was still jagged with anger and she found that, if she thought too much about Barriss's punishment, resentment would well up in her for Barriss, for what she'd done- for the Order for their _kriffing nerve-_

There it was again. Ahsoka took a deep breath. This bottled-up anger had to stop.

 _You're fine_ , she told herself. _The Jedi Order doesn't suspect you of anything now. It makes sense that they would be lenient to Barriss. You're alive, and that's all that matters in the end._

She repeated the mantra over and over again, and as it slowly sank into her, she felt her rage truly receding.

Riyo, who had been mostly silent, suddenly shifted, and Ahsoka sensed uncertainty in her.

"Ahsoka?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"I just felt… something."

"Really? Can you describe it?" Ahsoka leaned forward, honing in on Riyo's Force presence. Something did feel different about it- it felt more active, and it buzzed with an unusual amount of energy- like something of great importance had happened.

"I… I don't know. It was like, like, something was being fixed. I can't explain it."

 _Huh?_

That was a headscratcher, all right. Ahsoka struggled for a minute, trying to make heads or tails of the statement. Riyo's attempts at further explaining it were no help, either.

After a fruitless minute, Riyo shook her head. "It's gone now," she said. "I'm sorry. It was probably nothing."

"Well, let me know if you feel it again," Ahsoka said.

Riyo let out a frustrated groan and returned to her meditation.

As they sat in silence, a new thought struck Ahsoka. Had Riyo felt _her_ anger disappearing? It was certainly something that was being fixed- but as for _why_ Riyo felt that, she had no idea. Was this a consequence of delving into Riyo's mind two weeks ago? Would Riyo be feeling emotions that weren't her own because Ahsoka had left a mark in her mind? The thought scared her a little. If the Jedi Order found out about _this_ , then there would be _real_ consequences.

She reached out to Riyo's presence just to confirm that there was nothing wrong. Her presence still hummed with energy, but it was at least back to a normal level. After a long time, Ahsoka withdrew, satisfied that there was nothing to worry about. Maybe this was supposed to be a sign from the Force. But then what was it supposed to mean?

A feeling of something being fixed, Riyo had called it. And then Ahsoka knew. This had to be a sign that she could control her darker emotions even without the guidance of the Jedi. It would still be an uphill battle. She was in unknown territory by controlling herself on her own. It wouldn't be easy. But the Force was telling her that she could do it, and that was enough.

Suddenly, Ahsoka sensed Jorys striding down to the hall to her room, and not a second later, a hard knock sounded on the door. Ahsoka opened her eyes and stood up as Riyo did likewise.

"What in the galaxy…?" Riyo asked as Ahsoka opened the door. Jorys was dressed in full armor, and Ahsoka immediately knew something was wrong.

"What's the matter, Jorys?" she asked.

"Senator," Jorys said quickly to Riyo. "I just received a message from Senator Amidala. She's arranging an emergency meeting of Anti-Governance Senators. Says that there's been some sort of crisis."

 **And there you are. Nine chapters done, and I hope all of you will stay tuned, because this chapter was the calm before the storm. Starting with next chapter, we hit the first peak in the story, and I'm going to be wrapping up a major part soon. After this next part, I think you all will start to see where I'm really going with this story. As always, please leave a review and let me know what you thought! Thank you. Air Force Muffin out.**


	10. Chp 10: A Burden Taken And A Burden Lost

**Chapter 10: A Burden Taken And A Burden Lost**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **A/N: This is where the story starts earning its "AU" tag, folks. But don't read too much into anything in this chapter just yet, because there's still a lot more to come.**

The meeting in Amidala's office was grim, as the room was deathly silent, and a good number of the senators present shared a grave expression that suggested the occurrence of something terrible.

"Good evening, everyone."

Amidala swept into the room, looking as regal as ever in a billowing black dress. "I apologize for the lateness of this unplanned meeting, but as some of you may have heard, there have been new developments that we cannot ignore." She glanced around the room. "The news is barely an hour old, but it has spread quickly through the Senate. For those of you who don't know, I will fill you in." She sighed. "Several hours ago, the Separatists launched a major counteroffensive. The Republic has been driven back from Mygeeto, Felucia, and Saleucami."

At this, a worried murmur spread across the table. Ahsoka blinked in shock. Mygeeto, Felucia, Saleucami. Those three names inspired hatred in any self-respecting Republic citizen. The so-called "Triad of Evil"- three of the Separatists' largest strongholds, and the only planets standing between the forces of the Republic and the Daala Array, a series of hyperlanes that pointed like blaster pistols straight into the heart of the CIS. For the last six months, the Republic had been sieging those three planets, hoping to break through and pursue the Confederacy to the Outer Rim. Ahsoka had been on Felucia during a failed invasion (and _what_ a failure it had been- that was when she got kidnapped and was lost to the depths of hell). And now, hearing what Amidala was saying… if the planets were lost, then the Republic had suffered total and utter defeat, driven so far back that there was no hope of retaking the planet anytime soon.

"Three of the most important planets in the Outer Rim, completely lost in one fell swoop," Amidala said, shaking her head. "The damage doesn't stop there. With complete control of these strongholds again and the hyperspace lanes that come with them, the Separatists can now freely attack other Republic forces in the Outer Rim. Our sieges had prevented them from using those hyperspace lanes. Until now." She fixed a severe glare at everyone in the room. "This is _disastrous_ for us. These losses undermine our whole argument that the Sector Governance Bill is unnecessary for winning the war. Already, I have been _inundated_ with messages from senators asking to withdraw their names from the pledge list. I have called you all here to conduct damage control. The Chancellor will be making a statement to the public tomorrow afternoon. We have until then to try to convince as many senators as possible to keep their support." She picked up her datapad and tapped it. "I am now sending a plan of action to everyone in this room. Each one of you has a set of specific tasks to see to. Time is of essence. Any questions?"

The room briefly filled with the sounds of datapads chiming as Amidala's plans went out to everyone in the room. Ahsoka noticed that Riyo's datapad remained silent, however, and Riyo noticed it too. She looked up at Amidala with confusion.

"Good," Amidala said. "That is all. The meeting is adjourned. And, Senator Chuchi, wait here for a moment."

As the other senators filed out of the room, Riyo stayed behind. Once the room was empty, she spoke.

"Senator, I didn't get a-" she started, but Amidala held up a hand, stopping her.

"Have a seat, Riyo," she said, gesturing to a chair next to her. "I'll explain."

Riyo sat down, and Amidala was silent for a moment as she looked at her datapad. Then she put her head in her hands and groaned. "The timing of these reverses could not have been any worse."

"Two days before the vote," Riyo agreed gloomily. "What are the details of the attack?"

"With all honesty?" Amidala asked. "From top to bottom, it was a total disaster. Wherever there was a weak link or a gap in the Republic line, there were Separatists exposing it and pushing through. The entire fleet at Saleucami was surrounded and destroyed in less than an hour. General Kento Marek is missing and presumed dead on Felucia. Grievous himself made an appearance on Mygeeto and damaged the Republic fleet there so badly that they had to retreat all the way back to Cassander."

Riyo narrowed her eyes. "It's almost as if they _knew_ exactly where we would be."

Amidala shook her head. "No. I did wonder if this was an inside job, but not even the most fanatical Pro-Governance Senator would risk such devastating Republic defeats just to get this bill passed. Even Senator Tebathia, as misguided as she is, would never pass intelligence to the Separatists."

"You never know," Riyo murmured, and Ahsoka found herself silently agreeing.

"Well, nevertheless, we've got to push on. There's no use pointing fingers now," Amidala said

Riyo nodded. "All right, fine. You wanted to tell me something?"

"Well, I didn't send you anything because I wanted to tell you this personally," Amidala explained. "Senator Tebathia asked to meet with me after the news of the defeat. I deferred her to you."

Riyo nodded. "So I'll be speaking with her?"

"Yes. I don't like asking this of you on such short notice, but I'm completely swamped, and you're my best associate."

Riyo blushed, her skin turning deep purple. "I'm- I'm absolutely flattered, Senator."

Amidala was silent for a moment. When she spoke, her voice had a different edge- she suddenly sounded much more unsure.

"Treat this meeting with Tebathia as if you were debating in front of the entire Senate, Riyo. I never wanted to put you in this position, but the vote is three days away, and I fear that the extenuating circumstances that I have been watching for the last month- the ones that I warned you about- will be coming into play."

Ahsoka stared at Amidala.

"So I'll be giving the speech on the day of the vote," Riyo said.

"That's correct," Amidala said.

"Okay." Riyo paused. "Okay…. Okay. _Wow_."

Amidala leaned forward and patted Riyo's shoulder. "I wholeheartedly believe that you can deliver a speech just as prodigious as one of mine."

"I don't doubt my own ability, Senator, but I feel that you owe me an explanation."

"An explanation of what?"

"These extenuating circumstances that you say are keeping you from giving the speech? You called them secrets that would shake the Republic to its foundations," Riyo said. She crossed her arms. "I think that I have a right to know what these secrets are."

Amidala was silent again as she stared off into space, seemingly deep in thought. Finally, she sighed. "You're right, Senator. You really do have a right to know. And you as well, Ahsoka," she said, nodding to Ahsoka. She stood up. "This is something that will be revealed to the galaxy very soon, anyway. I might as well start gauging how the public might react. Will you excuse me for a moment?"

"Of course," Riyo said.

Amidala left the room, leaving Ahsoka and Riyo alone. Ahsoka took off her helmet and sat down next to Riyo, who still looked in shock from the announcement.

"Riyo?" Ahsoka asked gently. "Can you do this?"

"I-" Riyo halted. "Well, I-"

Her second attempt at a response was cut off by Amidala re-entering the room in a different outfit. Instead of a billowing black dress, she now wore a simple outfit that looked more like a recreational pilot's getup than a galactic senator's dress. It was small enough that it could have been worn under the other dress. But Ahsoka barely noted that, because she immediately saw something that she'd never noticed before. For a long time, Amidala's dresses had completely concealed her waistline. Until now. The smaller outfit revealed a large, unmistakable swell around her stomach. Amidala was pregnant. Very pregnant.

" _Oh_ ," Ahsoka said out loud at the same exact time as Riyo.

"Now you understand my situation," Amidala said. "In three days, I will be physically unable to give a speech or do much of anything."

"The baby is due on the day of the vote, isn't it?" Riyo asked faintly.

"Unfortunately, yes," Amidala said. "And it's twins. One boy and one girl."

Riyo blinked. "Er… Congratulations, Senator." However, she still looked unsatisfied. Amidala noticed Riyo's skepticism, and correctly anticipated the question that was on the tip of Ahsoka's tongue as well.

"This may not seem like a secret that could shake the foundations of the Republic, but my children are not the biggest revelation here. The real secret- one that I will take with me to my grave if I have to- is the identity of the father," Amidala said firmly.

Ahsoka tilted her head, studying Amidala closely. Senator Amidala… in a clandestine relationship. Well, stranger things had happened. It had to be with someone who was pretty high up in the government, if she wouldn't reveal the identity of the father.

Suddenly, she felt a strange flutter in the Force. Except- except, it actually wasn't strange. She'd felt it before. When Riyo and Amidala had been talking in the kitchen a month ago, right after her falling out with Master Plo. The same exact thing had happened. She glanced at Amidala, who suddenly looked uncomfortable. This was only a matter of connecting the dots. It was the babies.

"Senator," she said urgently. "Your children- they're Force-sensitive. I can feel their presences."

Instead of the stunned reaction that Ahsoka expected, Amidala looked more fearful than anything else. "Really?" she asked. "You… you can sense it?"

"Easily," Ahsoka answered. It was true. The flutter in the Force had had settled into a peaceful buzz, and the two extra life forces in Amidala positively glowed with energy. Force, they were _strong_. "I mean, if I can sense it, then the Jedi will definitely sense-" She broke off, as Amidala's expression had quickly shifted to horrified.

"Is… that so?" she asked in a strangled voice.

Oh. Of course Amidala wouldn't want her children to be taken away by the Jedi. An unexpected wave of resentment at the Order welled up in her.

"Well, I wish you the best of luck, Senator," Riyo said, standing up. "I understand that human births can be difficult."

"Thank you," Amidala said. "The best of luck to you too, in your speech. However, if you absolutely feel that you cannot do this, Senator Organa is fully prepared to give the speech."

Riyo shook her head. "Don't worry, Senator. That won't be necessary." With that, she turned to leave.

Ahsoka picked up her helmet, but didn't immediately follow Riyo. Instead, she turned to Amidala. What she was about to counsel to the senator was completely against Jedi protocol, but this was an exception that had to be made.

"Senator Amidala?" she asked.

"Yes, Ahsoka?"

"I think that if you were to travel to another planet… Maybe Naboo… the Jedi would be less likely to notice the children."

"Really?" Amidala asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," said Ahsoka.

A wave of relief broke over Amidala's face, and she visibly relaxed. That alone assured Ahsoka that she'd done the right thing. She had her suspicions about who the father was. Anakin and Senator Amidala were rather close friends, and maybe they were more than that. But she didn't need to know- that was private information.

"Thank you," said Amidala.

"You're welcome," Ahsoka said. "May the Force be with you." With that, she walked out of the room.

Riyo was waiting for her in the hallway, looking shaken, and her nervousness was obvious in the Force. As they began the walk back to their apartment, Riyo began muttering under her breath. Ahsoka wasn't really trying to listen, but she heard words like _you can do this_ and _you're strong_ over and over.

"Riyo?" Ahsoka asked gently. "Do you think you'll be able to give the speech?"

Riyo looked up at Ahsoka, then down to the ground, and then back to her. "I'm going to be honest, Ahsoka," she said, taking a deep breath. "If you asked me this question a month and a half ago, before I found you, my answer would have been 'no,' but you changed everything. You've made me feel so much more confident in myself. I swear, you've made me think I can take on the whole galaxy." They came to a stop at the turbolift doors. "Yes, I can give the speech." She looked Ahsoka directly in the eye and took her hand. "As long as you're there with me."

Ahsoka's heart made a very odd flitter as she gazed at Riyo, acutely aware of the warmth of her hand on her own. "That's, um, wonderful," she stammered, suddenly at a loss for words. As she looked into Riyo's beautiful amber eyes, which were filled with nothing but trust, she found herself thinking of her earlier resolve to leave the planet. And unfortunately, the news of the Separatist victories at Mygeeto, Felucia, and Saleucami were only strengthening her case for leaving after the vote. She would have to tell Riyo sometime. Just not now.

"Well, let's get started, then," she said nonchalantly, throwing an arm over Riyo's shoulder as they walked into the open turbolift. "Come on. Looks like we're squaring off with that Alsakanian d'kut again."

"Ahsoka!" Riyo chided. "That's not respectful!"

"Oh, please." Ahsoka laughed. "You'd call her that if you could."

Their light conversation continued as the two of them began planning, both of them unaware of just how massive their impact on galactic history would become.

* * *

 ** _Anaxes_**

"She knows that the twins are Force-sensitive, Ani."

The worried voice of Padme Amidala sounded from a small holoprojector in the hands of Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, as he slumped in the cockpit of his grounded starfighter. Outside, in the camp of the 501st Legion, the night was pitch-black.

Anakin nodded worriedly. "What about the Jedi? Do they suspect anything?"

But before Padme could reply, a clatter came from outside. He swore and reached for his lightsaber, only to realize that the sudden noise was from a falling tree branch hitting the wing of his fighter.

Anakin groaned and slumped back down in his seat. He hated having to hide just to have conversations with his wife, but that was the price to pay for forbidden love. It was partly his fault that the moments where he could relax were scarce. When he, enraged by what the Jedi had decided to do with Ahsoka after she left the Order, had wanted to go as far away from Coruscant as possible just so he could _get away_ from everything there, he had thought that Anaxes would be an easy fight. He was wrong. For the last several weeks, the fighting had been constantly shifting as each side pushed the other back and forth, jockeying for control of the planet's vital shipyards. He and Obi-Wan had barely had a minute to spare, and it was showing. His only contact with the rest of the galaxy had been Padme. When she broke the news a month ago that she was eight months pregnant, Anakin had reacted pensively, but over time, her enthusiasm and constant assurance had eased his fears. However, the babies' Force-sensitivity, even if it was to be expected, was troubling. If Ahsoka could sense them without even trying, then it would only be a matter of time before the Jedi-

Padme's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "The Order doesn't know yet. And Ahsoka suggested that if I gave birth on Naboo, then they could escape detection."

Anakin brightened. "Really? That's a great idea! Have you left yet?"

"I'm in hyperspace right now," Padme said.

Anakin smiled. "You're one step ahead of me." Now he owed Ahsoka one.

"It's too bad that the birth coincides with the vote on the Sector Governance Bill," Padme continued. "As the face of the Anti-Governance movement, I'll be missed on Coruscant."

Anakin furrowed his brow. Padme had mentioned the Sector Governance Bill several times before, as had Palpatine. From what the Chancellor told him, the bill had been a way of expediting the end of the war. He naturally sided with his friend, since the ending of the war was something that he desperately wanted, but Padme, being a staunch defender of peace, certainly had to have a good reason for opposing the bill so voraciously.

"Padme, why are you against the Sector Governance Bill?" he asked.

Padme sighed. "Ani, I know that you and the Chancellor are good friends, so I can understand why you side with him so much, but can you try to have an open mind on this?"

Anakin was taken aback. Did Padme think that he was just blindly defending the Chancellor? "What?! No, Padme, I mean, honestly, why are you against the bill? What's bad about it to you?"

Padme's expression changed to moderate surprise. "Oh! I'm sorry…"

"No, I'm sorry; I'm genuinely interested in hearing why," Anakin said.

"Well, of course, then."

As Padme launched into an explanation, Anakin found himself listening more and more closely. The more he heard, the less the Sector Governance Bill sounded like the end-all that Palpatine had made it out to be. Sure, Anakin wanted a government that got things _done_ , even if it meant cutting some corners, but this bill was just _too_ much. By the end, he was agreeing with Padme and wondering why Palpatine would mislead him like this. Admittedly, he hadn't had the chance to talk with him at all lately. Several times over the last few weeks, his comm had blinked with a signal from Palpatine, but he'd never had time to answer it. Well, he would talk to him later. For now, he focused on the beautiful senator in front of him.

"So who'll be taking your place?" he asked to Padme.

"Senator Chuchi."

"Ah." Anakin vaguely knew Chuchi. They had shared a mission on Orto Plutonia, and she had hired Ahsoka as a bodyguard. And about that- when Padme had mentioned that she had literally run into Ahsoka in Chuchi's office, it was all Anakin could do not to cry in relief. He was eternally grateful to the Pantoran senator for giving Ahsoka money, shelter, and a sense of stability, the last thing being perhaps the most important. Ahsoka had a… wild side. It had diminished as she matured, but sudden emotional upheaval was all it took to bring it back to the surface. And his former padawan had certainly had enough upheaval in the last month and a half.

"You know, Ahsoka and Riyo make a good team. They remind me of us," Padme said with a slight smile.

Anakin nodded. "You're not wrong. They work together well, just like us."

Suddenly, a loud buzzing reverberated through the cockpit, causing Anakin to jump a mile and bash his head on the cockpit ceiling. He looked around wildly before realizing that the sound was his comm. Rubbing his smarting head, he picked it up and saw with a start that the Chancellor was trying to comm him.

"What's the matter?" Padme asked.

"I'm getting a comm from-" Anakin started, fumbling with the device. He meant to finish his sentence and answer the kriffing thing, but unfortunately, he got to do neither, because at that moment, the comm buzzed _again_ , this time with an incoming comm from Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan or Palpatine? After stressing for a moment, he declined Palpatine's call.

"I've got to go now, Padme. Obi-Wan's calling. Love you."

"Love you too," Padme said, understanding immediately. Her hologram vanished, and Anakin finally answered his comm.

"Hello?"

Obi-Wan's voice crackled over the comm. "Anakin, we've got a situation. Our advance scouts are reporting a large movement of Separatist infantry straight at your camp."

"Great." Anakin sat up and pushed open the cockpit. "What does it look like? Something I can handle?"

"You may be outnumbered by as much as four to one."

"Great," Anakin muttered. He vaulted out of the starfighter and broke into a run towards Rex's tent. "The infantry can pull back to Murlon City. I'll lead an aerial rearguard to cover our retreat and…"

He quickly fell into his battle mentality, putting the thoughts of Padme and Ahsoka and everything else in the back of his mind, except for one thing- if he had answered the Chancellor's call just now, then he could've died in ignorance of the coming battle.

 **A/N: All right. Some people may be wondering why I'm apparently bypassing** ** _Revenge Of The Sith_** **in this story. Well, there's a reason this story is slightly AU. I'm just taking things down a different path. This story isn't an "everything gets fixed and the Empire never happens" story (although, I do love those kinds of stories and have nothing against them, it's just that this is not one of them). Thanks for reading this chapter. Please leave a review and tell me what you think, and I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. The next three chapters: 11. The Night Before, 12. Democracy's Judgment Day, and 13. An Intertwining Of Destinies, will wrap up the first act of this story. Buckle up. It's going to be a fun ride.**


	11. Chapter 11: The Night Before

**Chapter 11: The Night Before**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **A/N: This is for the guest who left a review saying that Chapter 10 made them ship Ahsoka/Riyo- I'm glad you liked it! Just wait for Chapter 13.**

 ** _Coruscant: 1800 hours Galactic Standard Time, 24 hours before the vote on the Sector Governance Bill_**

Ahsoka hadn't been looking forward to their next encounter with Senator Tebathia. Sure enough, the senator's first words upon entering Riyo's office set a tone for the meeting.

"Ready to wave the flag of surrender, Senator Chuchi?" the Alsakanian senator asked, taking a seat.

Ahsoka sighed. Smugness after the Republic disasters was making the senator's brash attitude even more insufferable. At least Riyo didn't seem affected.

"Not in the least," Riyo said calmly. "Is that all you came here for?"

"No," Tebathia said, taking a seat. "I came here to convince you that it's impossible to stop the Sector Governance Bill. Even Senator Amidala recognizes this defeat, seeing as how she's completely disappeared."

"Senator Amidala has her own reasons for not being here," Riyo said. "She isn't defeated in the least."

Tebathia shrugged. "Well, she'll be defeated tomorrow."

"You shouldn't speak so confidently of victory," Riyo shot back. "There's been many plenty of votes that swung the other way after victory looked certain for one side."

"But never one of this magnitude. Honestly, Senator, I simply cannot understand, even with all of your justifications, how you can go against something that is so obviously needed for the Republic."

"If this bill passes, this won't even _be_ a Republic anymore!"

An odd look passed over Tebathia's face, as if she was preparing to say something deeply unpleasant but important.

"Senator," she began, "I think I've finally figured you out. I hope you can sympathize with my cause after this. In all of your ravings about this bill being the death of democracy, you've overlooked one crucial fact. Democracy is already dead in the Republic."

Riyo raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?"

Tebathia got up and began to pace back and forth. "Look at this Republic system. It's a benevolent but inefficient bureaucracy. The Senate is filled with squabbling politicians who care about little more than their own well-being. That is not democracy. The senators who do put the needs of the Republic before themselves are too few in number to make a difference. This is why the Sector Governance Bill is our best chance- the Chancellor has gotten the Senate to support this bill. Once it goes into effect, he can bypass _all_ of the corruption in the upper echelons of the Republic."

By now, Riyo was staring at Tebathia incredulously. "Senator, I've never heard anything so delusional-"

But Tebathia plowed on. "This is a chance to reform the Republic into a stronger governing body and throw off the chains of corruption that have held it back for so long. Trust me, this bill will do _more_ for the Republic than your cause ever will."

She paused, glancing at Riyo, and Riyo sat back in her chair, looking disgusted. "Go on," she said, crossing her arms. "I want to hear it all."

"Listen, Senator Chuchi," Tebathia said, halting her pacing. She faced Riyo. "Despite my words to the contrary, you are a talented politician- one of the few in the Senate who still prioritize the bettering of the Republic. And some of those who follow your Anti-Governance steed are cut from the same cloth. Why fight a losing battle? Join our side, and I can assure you that no harm will befall the Pantoran System and that you may retain jurisdiction of it."

Riyo growled- _growled-_ and flew up out of her chair, rearing up in anger. "Is that a threat to my system?!"

"The greater threat here is the future of the REPUBLIC!" Tebathia snapped, stepping forward. The two senators' faces were less than a meter apart, with only the desk separating them. Ahsoka discreetly stepped forward.

Riyo leaned forward over her desk. "That is the _lowest_ of low blows, Senator. Making me choose between the good of my home system and the good of the Republic- Believe me, I know the horrific pain of this choice!"

"I never said it was a choice," Tebathia said. "Support the Sector Governance Bill. It's a win-win."

The gap between their faces was as close as it could get without Riyo head-butting Tebathia's chest. Neither person seemed likely to back down, and Ahsoka took another step forward, considering intervention. But then, thankfully, Riyo stepped back, and the tension eased ever so slightly. However, she wasn't done.

"Do you know what I think, Senator?" she asked thoughtfully. "The worst kind of person, in my opinion is not the kind that does something wrong while knowing that it's wrong. Because as long as they know that what they're doing is wrong, there's a slight chance that one day, their mind might change. No, it's _misguided_ people that I think are the worst. They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. A misguided person earnestly does the wrong thing, and they will never stop doing it. And because it's almost always easier to do what's wrong, they think that they are a good person because they have never made a so-called 'bad choice,' despite the fact that they have _always_ been on the wrong side. It's those kinds of people that I despise, because they never, ever, do the right thing." She cocked her head. "Tell me, Senator. You say the Sector Governance Bill is the best thing for the Republic. But have you ever felt a stirring of doubt in the back of your mind? A dark, seductive voice telling you that there are easier ways?"

"No. You speak of madness," Tebathia said loftily.

"No. I speak of temptation. And the fact that you have never heard that voice means that you have already succumbed to it." She turned away to face the window. "I see nothing further to discuss, Senator. I may win or lose this vote, but tomorrow, we will meet our destinies in the Senate."

Tebathia shook her head slowly. "So be it."

Riyo didn't reply.

Ahsoka stepped forward and put a commanding hand on Tebathia's shoulder.

"I believe that you've overstayed your welcome," she said, moving to usher the Alsakanian senator out.

* * *

 ** _2000 hours Galactic Standard Time, 22 hours until the vote on the Sector Governance Bill_**

Riyo's datapad buzzed. She glanced away from her work, and then she took a longer, more attentive look before picking it up and stared at it.

"What is it?" Ahsoka asked.

Riyo slid the datapad across her desk to Ahsoka. "Look at this. There might be some hope for us after all."

Ahsoka picked up the datapad. A headline blared across the screen, screaming _VICTORY ON ANAXES!_ Underneath was a picture of Anakin Skywalker, standing bruised and bloodied, but unmistakably triumphant as he posed next to his battered Jedi starfighter, while a large, partially collapsed fort loomed in the background with a Republic flag flying over it. The accompanying article read,

 _Victory on Anaxes! A tremendous blow was dealt to the Separatists today when heroic Republic forces under the command of the valiant Jedi generals Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi captured the crucial shipbuilding world of Anaxes. The Separatist forces on the planet were thoroughly routed. The dashing General Skywalker heroically ruled the skies with his daring fighter squadron and brought fear to even the emotionless droids that opposed him in the air, and he magnificently devastated the walls of Fort Kivgscrub, the Separatist's main base on the planet. Gen. Kenobi's fearless army speedily stormed the fort, and they cleverly used the fort's ion cannons to rain destruction on the malevolent Separatist fleet in orbit over the planet. 5 capital ships were brought down by Kenobi's ingenious methods before the utterly decimated fleet slunk into hyperspace, presumably in a stumbling retreat to Bothawui…_

Ahsoka smirked. The propaganda-heavy Republic Holofeed seemed to have reached a new level of luridness in their writings, as this latest news read like a Wilhuff Tarkin fever dream. But forget that. ANAKIN WAS STILL ALIVE. One of her biggest reservations about leaving the Order, whether or not she liked to admit it, was that she was worried to leave Anakin. The two of them had been an invincible team- emphasis on _team_. Sometimes she wondered if Anakin needed her more than she needed him. But thank the Force, he was still with Obi-Wan, who was perhaps the one person that could help Anakin get through the separation.

"This is amazing!" she exclaimed. "I'd like to see Tebathia yammer about waving a flag of surrender now!"

"Hmm." Riyo frowned. "Honestly, is this enough to change public opinion? Yes, it's good for morale, but this is just one planet. If I had to pick between Anaxes or just _one_ of Mygeeto, Felucia, and Saleucami, I probably wouldn't pick Anaxes." She shrugged. "Still, it might swing some public opinion. Gods know we need that right now."

Riyo's words made Ahsoka pause. Upon hearing about the victory, she'd wondered if it was possible that she could stay with Riyo on Coruscant and not have to go back to the fighting, but now… A sense of duty tugged at her, as it had been doing so incessantly for the last month. She really couldn't put off telling Riyo about her plans any longer.

"Riyo, there's something I've got to tell you," she began.

"Yes?" Riyo asked, and the look of innocent curiosity on her face almost made Ahsoka stop. She swallowed and pushed on, forcing the words out of her mouth.

"About our arrangement…"

"Our arrangement?" Riyo repeated. "Is this is about your salary? I can certainly give you a raise."

"No- it's not my salary." Force, why couldn't she find the strength to say it? "After the vote on the bill… What were your plans?"

"My plans?" Riyo shrugged. "The Senate goes into a month-long recess the day after tomorrow. Barring an emergency session being called, I wouldn't have any senatorial duties on Coruscant to attend to until the next session. I was planning on going home to Pantora." She fixed Ahsoka with a hopeful look. "I was wondering if you would come with me."

Okay, okay, _okay_. Panicking was an option now. She wouldn't do it yet, but it was definitely a possibility. Kriff. "Uh," she said, and mentally smacked herself. _Nice job, Ahsoka. Very eloquent._ "I have… this thing… that I was going to do…"

"Oh?" Riyo asked. "What is it?"

 _Force give me strength,_ she thought. She opened her mouth again, and then it all came out in a rush. "I'm going to leave for Cato Neimoidia and keep fighting the war after the vote."

Riyo's eyes widened. "You're going to _what_?"

"I have to keep fighting this war, Riyo. I'm sorry. I really am. I can't just stand by and let clones and Jedi and civilians keep dying. I have to help _somehow_."

"But you're going to do it _alone?_ " Riyo asked.

"That's the only way I could do it," Ahsoka said. "This is my duty."

The smile vanished from Riyo's face, and she looked so _disappointed_ at that moment that it broke Ahsoka's heart. She _wanted_ to stay here with Riyo, where the only battles were the ones waged with words. But the galaxy called. The war wouldn't stop for anyone.

"It wasn't anything you did," Ahsoka said. "I was planning to leave Coruscant before you found me."

"Why did you agree to be my bodyguard, then?" Riyo asked in a small voice. "Was it just about the money?"

" _NO._ " Except, kriff, it had been about the money when she had _started_ , but it had stopped being about the money and started being about Riyo a _long_ time ago. She hadn't even thought about the money in weeks. Ahsoka was mad at herself now for putting Riyo through this, mad at the Separatists for waging this stupid war that drove her need to leave, mad at Barriss for starting the chain of events that led to her even being in this situation- "It wasn't about the money!" she said fiercely. "If Senator Tebathia offered me the same job at higher pay right now, I would turn her down. You, on the other hand, I'd work for you for nothing. If I had to pay to work for you, I'd go bankrupt. You're my best friend, and I would protect you for all eternity if I could!"

Ahsoka meant every word of it, and she wanted Riyo to get just how serious she was. However, she still looked crestfallen. "But why?"

"You said that the Sector Governance Bill was the reason you felt unsafe, right? Once it's been voted on, the danger will be over, right? Besides, you'll still have Jorys and Edose. They're capable." At this point, Ahsoka felt like she was trying convince herself more than Riyo.

Riyo still had an expression blown wide open with hurt, and Ahsoka hated herself and her own thirst for battle more with each passing second where a smile didn't grace the Pantoran's features. "I _have_ to go, Riyo. I had these visions of death and destruction, and I _know_ the Force was warning me that something terrible is coming. I've got to figure out a way to fight it. Sure, trying to stop the future once you've seen it is probably impossible, but if I can figure out what's coming, then maybe I can save some people that would've otherwise died."

The hurt finally receded slightly from Riyo's expression, but now she was gazing off into the distance with a look of deep thought, as Ahsoka waited anxiously for her to say something. However, when she did speak, it wasn't what she was expecting.

"Do you have enough money?" Riyo asked.

"W-what?"

"For your journey. Will you be able to support yourself? Do you have supplies? I can give you anything you need."

"Uh- I-I don't need anything," Ahsoka stammered. That wasn't true. She still needed a few things, but the last thing she was going to do was ask Riyo for them.

"So you'll be leaving the day after tomorrow?" Riyo asked.

"Yes."

"Well, then," Riyo said, standing up, "I want to make these last hours as wonderful as possible." She moved towards Ahsoka, and for a moment Ahsoka flinched back, wondering if Riyo was going to hit her, until Riyo wrapped her arms around her in a warm embrace.

"I'm sorry," Ahsoka whispered. "You shouldn't be so nice to me."

"It's okay," Riyo said. "I've never fought in a war, but I understand the feeling of a sense of duty in you that you can't ignore."

Ahsoka squeezed back tears. "I don't want to leave your side. I really don't. But I made a commitment, and I'm going to fight this war."

"It's fine," Riyo said, stepping back, "No sense getting worked up over it. I've got a speech to finish."

But Ahsoka knew that Riyo wasn't being entirely truthful, because she could easily sense the dejection in her. It pained her to feel it.

* * *

 ** _2200 hours Galactic Standard Time, 20 hours before the vote on the Sector Governance Bill_**

Over the next couple hours, Riyo threw herself into writing her speech. The only times she looked up from her desk were the several times when Anti-Governance senators like Senator Organa or Senator Mothma visited. Usually, the only noise in the room was the scratch of her pen across the flimsi.

Upon returning to the office after a quick trip to the fresher, Ahsoka found Riyo talking quietly to someone on a hologram. Coming closer, she saw that it was Senator Amidala.

"What did you think of the speech?" Riyo was asking.

"It was tremendous, Senator Chuchi. Tomorrow, the Senate will be captivated by your words. I can only hope that it's enough to get the vote."

"Thank you," Riyo said. She picked up her speech and glanced at it. Turning and seeing Ahsoka, she held out the sheet of flimsi. "Would you like to read it?"

"Of course!" Ahsoka exclaimed, taking it. As she eagerly read it, her jaw slowly dropped down with each successive sentence until she was reading it in utter amazement.

"… _the greatest authority of them all- Democracy_ ," she finished, reading aloud the last words of the speech. "Riyo, this is great _,_ " she said, handing the speech back to her. "I love it."

"My only caveat was that it seemed a little too short…" Riyo said.

"Don't worry about that," Amidala's hologram assured. "In this case, I think it will work to our advantage."

"All right, if that's what you think," Riyo said, putting down the speech. "I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I hope I haven't taken up too much of your time, Senator Amidala."

"Don't worry about that," Amidala said. "If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to call me again."

"I won't," Riyo said. She shut off the hologram and fell silent for a moment, putting her chin in her hands. After a moment, she looked up at Ahsoka. "Would you be willing to do one more meditation session?"

"Of course!" Ahsoka said. "When?"

"Could we do it right now, if that's okay with you?" Riyo asked. "I'm going to go to bed soon, but I wanted to sleep with a clear head."

"All right. Meet me in my room in five minutes," Ahsoka said.

* * *

 ** _2300 hours Galactic Standard Time, 19 hours before the vote on the Sector Governance Bill_**

An hour later, the two of them sat in their usual meditative arrangement, cross-legged on the floor and across from each other, holding hands with their eyes closed, deep into the session.

Ahsoka shifted slightly and sighed. It had been easy enough to go through the usual motions, but it was impossible to ignore Riyo's feelings. Upon sinking into a meditative state, she'd found that Riyo was internalizing a _lot_ of despondency, and unfortunately, Ahsoka was pretty sure she was responsible for that.

As if she was sensing Ahsoka's thoughts, Riyo spoke. "There's really no way that I can convince you to stay, is there?" she asked sadly.

"I wish I could stay," Ahsoka said. "I really do."  
"I'm worried. I just don't want something to happen to you," Riyo whispered. "Because I-" She hesitated. "I- I care about you. I _really_ don't want something to ever happen to you."

Ahsoka squeezed her eyelids even harder together. "I'm sorry."

Riyo's sadness still remained, and Ahsoka desperately wanted to do something to stop it somehow. Not knowing what else to do, she leaned forward, reaching for a hug, and the two of them, still with their eyes closed, embraced.

It was just a simple hug, meant as a gesture of comfort. But in the moment, it became so much more than just that. The emotions that had gnawed away in both women for weeks came to the surface, and the Force around them hummed with Riyo's anxiety and misery and Ahsoka's fatigue and despair. It felt like they were pouring their souls out to each other at that moment.

Ahsoka brushed against Riyo's mind in the Force, and she couldn't help but notice something odd. Riyo's mind was a blizzard of feelings- all manner of thoughts were darting around, coalescing into strange forms and disintegrating as quickly as they formed. It was unusual even for such an emotionally charged situation as this.

She pulled back from Riyo's mind. If she was causing this, then she needed to stop. But even as she distanced herself, something tugged at her senses. And then, before she could react, she realized that Riyo's consciousness was reaching out to _her_.

Their two souls touched, and the galaxy exploded.

At least, that was what it felt like to Ahsoka. A starburst of energy so brilliant that it briefly stunned her Force senses blossomed out of literally nowhere, coinciding with a startled gasp from Riyo as she pulled back.

Ahsoka's eyes flew open. She could plainly sense a pulsing, robust Force signature directly in front of her, in the exact spot where Riyo sat, wide-eyed and gaping as if she was a blind creature seeing light.

"I… I…" Riyo said uncertainly.

Ahsoka stared unbelievingly at Riyo. This could _not_ be happening.

"I… I _feel_ things." Riyo swallowed and looked around slowly. "There's- there's-" Her gaze landed on Ahsoka, and Ahsoka knew that Riyo wasn't just seeing her; she was _sensing_ her.

What. In. The. _Force._

"Riyo," she whispered. "You're Force-sensitive."

Riyo sucked in a breath as her eyes widened even further. "I'm _WHAT?!"_

"I can _feel_ your presence," Ahsoka said. She reached out slowly and laid a hand on Riyo's arm, sending out a pulse in the Force. In reaction, Riyo jerked violently as if she'd been punched.

"That felt different, didn't it?" Ahsoka asked. "You felt the energy behind it."

"But… I can't be…" Riyo said. "Wouldn't I have known by now?"

Ahsoka stood up, her mind racing. "We can answer this right now. Is there a med kit around here? It should have some blood-testing gear in it."

"My 'fresher," Riyo said faintly. "There's a med kit under the sink."

Ahsoka ran to Riyo's fresher, found the med kit, and had the blood-testing gear in her hands by the time she re-entered her room.

"Okay," she said. "Hold out your hand."

Riyo extended her arm, and Ahsoka lowered the blood tester down with shaky hands. Steadying herself with a deep breath, she pricked Riyo's finger and withdrew a sample. With a hum, a tiny computer in the handheld tester processed the sample. After a few seconds, the tester beeped, and a screen on it displayed the basic information of the blood- its species, type, composition, acidity, and more- everything that would be needed in a medical situation. Except that under the species readout, the only thing that was displayed was "ERROR."

Ahsoka sucked in a breath. That had been what she was afraid of. Average midi-chlorian counts of non-Force-sensitive varied among different species, so some blood-testing machines would determine the species in part by measuring the number of midi-chlorians. An error reading would only be caused by an abnormally high midi-chlorian count.

Hardly daring to breathe, she tapped on the readouts to check the midi-chlorian count.

Seven thousand midi-chlorians per cell. Well above the threshold for Force-sensitivity.

She dropped the datapad and fell back from a sitting position until she was flat on the floor. " _Kriff._ "

Riyo picked up the datapad, and few moments later, said, "I don't believe it."

"Were you ever checked for midi-chlorians before?" Ahsoka asked.

Riyo was silent for a while. "No," she said finally. "I don't think I ever was. I just assumed…" She looked helplessly at Ahsoka. "Do you have any idea how this might happen?"

Ahsoka had a _very_ good idea of why it happened. She was almost certain that it was because of the contact that she'd had with Riyo's consciousness during their meditation sessions over the last couple of weeks, even if that was something that she _really_ wasn't supposed to do. Kriff, this was something that she was completely out of her depth with.

"I think… it might have been our meditation sessions," Ahsoka said. "Maybe I awakened something in you that was dormant. Maybe you were always Force-sensitive, and all you needed was a little push to realize it. That's not unheard of."

Riyo nodded, staring at her hands as if lightning would leap out from them at any second. "Is… Is this dangerous at all?"

"I don't think so…" Ahsoka said.

But honestly, she didn't know. Riyo seemed to be fine right now. But if she got to the point where she started to lose control of her powers… Who knew what could happen?

That was never a good question.

 **A/N: Well, this chapter probably contains the most AU thing in this story so far, and one of the biggest risks I've taken so far. I was back and forth for MONTHS on whether or not to make Riyo Force-sensitive. In the end, I went with it. But I'm not deaf to reader response. Reviews have influenced this story (thank you to all who have reviewed- I'll do a proper shout-out after chapter 13), and I want to know what you guys think of Riyo being Force-sensitive. If you guys unanimously think it's a terrible idea, I'll drop it. But if the response is split, I'm going to stick with this until you have a better picture of where the story is going. I'm not sure when I can have Chapter 12 out, because I have finals for the next week, but after that it's summer break for me! I can't wait. As always, I would love it if you left a review or a PM letting me know what you thought. Air Force Muffin out.**


	12. Chapter 12: Democracy's Judgment Day

**Chapter 12: Democracy's Judgment Day**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **A/N: I'm sorry for the delay in updating. I took a break to write another Star Wars story. It's called "Doe Eyes," and you can find it on my profile. Check it out! And then I was in a camp for two weeks, and I had my driver's license test (which I passed!), and all this added up to no time to write. (Also, I GOT TWO KITTENS! One of them is crawling all over me as I type this.)  
First things first: I'm sticking with Force-sensitive Riyo. Thanks so much to everyone for the overwhelmingly positive response. Also, a big thanks to FoxFaceFan1 for wishing me luck on my finals! I forgot to mention this last chapter, but I finally put an avatar on my story. What do you guys think? I feel like it suits the tone pretty well. Anyways, the next chapter will conclude the first of the three acts of this story. Enjoy! **

When Ahsoka went to sleep after the meditation session, she only had one dream, but it was terrifying.

A white mist surrounded her. For several moments, there was nothing except for a deep rumbling everywhere, and then-

The rumbling erupted into a tremendous roar, and a fiery explosion ripped apart her vision, flames shooting out in all directions. And then, as quickly as the explosion had come, it died away, and a deathly silence fell.

But then she heard a cry. It was pained and weak, but instantly recognizable. Riyo.

Riyo was screaming in agony, saying the same thing over and over again.

" _Ahsoka!_ "

Her name. With each successive call, her voice grew fainter.

" _Ahsoka!"_

" _Ahsoka!_ "

It was just a whisper that barely reached her ears now.

" _Ahsoka._ "

There was a labored gasp, a choked " _Ah-_ , _"_ that was cut off, and then nothing.

 _RIYO!_

Ahsoka lurched upright in her bed, covered in sweat and panting. Impulsively, she reached into the Force to seek out Riyo's presence, fearing the worst. But thankfully, she sensed Riyo in the kitchen, completely unharmed. She heaved a sigh of relief and dropped back onto her pillow. _Force._ That had been horrible. But that wasn't even the worst part. More ominously, _that was a vision_. She was far too familiar with the unnerving vividness of them by now, and this one was no different. This one didn't leave much room for interpretation, either- there was going to be an explosion… and Riyo would be involved in it in a bad way.

Ahsoka sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Well, this was what she'd been hired for, and she'd throw herself on top of a thermal detonator for Riyo if it came to that.

After pulling on her armor, she walked into the kitchen, where Riyo was holding a steaming cup of caf as she leaned against the edge of the kitchen counter, already dressed in her purple senate regalia.

"Morning," Riyo said, nodding at her.

"Morning," Ahsoka said. "You have any more caf?"

"Right here," Riyo said, reaching for the cafpot. "Cups are in the cabinet over the sink."

"Don't trouble yourself," Ahsoka said. "I'll pour my own cup."

She sat down and waved her hand, directing the Force to float the cafpot over to the cup cabinet, where a cup flew out and was filled by the cafpot in midair, and she floated the pot back to the counter as the cup flew into her hand. She took a long drink and set it cup down.

"How are you feeling?" she asked to Riyo, who had watched the entire display with her mouth open in amazement.

"…Depends," Riyo said. "About the vote, or about my newfound powers?"

"The second one," Ahsoka said.

"Well, everything still feels different… I mean, I've seen you use the Force plenty of times, but just now…" Riyo gazed at Ahsoka with something that resembled… _longing?_ "I felt the _power_ that you have behind it." She smirked. "Also, I want to learn how to do what you just did. That would make my life _much_ easier."

Ahsoka laughed easily. The arrival of morning had taken the edge off last night's uncertainty, and Riyo thankfully seemed unworried by the development of her Force-sensitivity. "Well, maybe I can teach you," she joked. Then, as an uneasy afterthought, she added, "Someday."

"Right." Riyo put down her caf, an expression of sadness overtaking her. "…Someday." There was an awkward silence.

In a voice that had a little too much false cheerfulness, Ahsoka said, "So! Are you ready to shut Senator Tebathia up once and for all today?"

Luckily, Riyo welcomed the change of subject. "Oh, of course," she said enthusiastically. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

"Got your speech?"

Riyo tapped a hidden pocket on the side of her dress. "Right here."

Ahsoka nodded. "So when should leave for the Senate Building?"

Riyo glanced at the chrono. "I'd say in an hour."

"So soon?! I thought the vote wasn't until eighteen hundred hours tonight?"

"The Sector Governance Bill isn't going to be the only thing voted on today. We've got thirty-five other bills lined up."

Ahsoka sighed. "I guess that would explain it. It's been three years and I _still_ don't know how the Senate works. How do you understand it all?"

"It's simple once you know the system," Riyo explained. "During each two-month Senate session, we meet eighteen times per month. In each meeting, we vote on bills. When a bill is brought to a vote in a session, a representative from the side in support of the bill and a representative from the side against the bill both give a speech to argue for their side. That's what's going to happen at tonight."

"Oh, I see," Ahsoka said.

"Normally, any vote would need a two-thirds supermajority vote to pass. But in this case, the Wartime Restructuring Decree issued by the Chancellor three years ago allowed for a simple majority vote to be used to pass bills during the war, meaning that a bill could pass in the Senate by just one vote right now." She shook her head. "It's a lot easier to pass things like the Sector Governance Bill when all you need is fifty-point-one percent of the vote, not sixty-seven percent."

"You say it like it's a bad thing. But isn't faster decision-making needed when you're in a war?" Ahsoka pointed out.

A thoughtful expression came over Riyo's face. "I would say so. It's true. Even with the threat of the Sector Governance Bill, I think that the Chancellor's reorganization has helped the Republic more than it's harmed it. But if the Sector Governance Bill passes, then that's going to change."

"I see." Ahsoka nodded and took another sip of her caf. "You aren't nervous about this, are you?"

"Nervous?" Riyo, who actually looked and felt as calm as a Jedi Master to Ahsoka, nodded emphatically. "Incredibly so. It's democracy's judgment day, and I'm the one presenting its case to the court."

* * *

The speeder that took them to the Senate Building was a luxurious one, designed to transport politicians around Coruscant in the cradle of luxury. However, Ahsoka was having a hard time enjoying the opulence. A female member around their age from the Pantoran Assembly had joined them for the journey, and she seemed to know Riyo very well. As Ahsoka watched Riyo converse easily with the other Pantoran, she felt something that she hadn't felt in a long time- jealousy. The Assembly member said something that made Riyo burst out laughing, and Ahsoka had a sudden ridiculous urge to go over there and insert herself into the conversation.

She shook her head, chastising herself. What Riyo did was Riyo's business. Her own job was to guard the senator, not to interfere with her social life because of some outlandish fit of envy.

Just then, her thoughts were interrupted by Riyo calling her name.

"Ahsoka!"

Ahsoka looked up to see the Pantoran senator waving her over to a seat between her and the other woman. She got up and moved over, not knowing what to expect.

"What's up, Riyo?" she asked.

"Ahsoka, I wanted you to meet my sister," Riyo said excitedly.

Ahsoka could hardly believe her ears. "S-sister?"

"Suwe Chuchi," the other Pantoran said, holding out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Madame Tano. Riyo's told me so many wonderful things about you."

"Uh, th-thanks," Ahsoka stammered, shaking Suwe's hand. "Great to meet you, too. You can call me Ahsoka." Part of her mind- the same part that had just been chafing at the interaction between Riyo and Suwe- was now doing celebratory backflips.

"You're a legend on Pantora, you know," Suwe mentioned. "For helping to break the Trade Federation's blockade."

"Oh, it was nothing," Ahsoka said, ducking her head. "I've been in worse situations than that. I just wanted to help Riyo."

"You sure did!" said Suwe. "We'll never thank you enough."

"Thanks, So, uh," Ahsoka said, feeling bashful about Suwe's obvious admiration of her, "You're a member of the Pantoran Assembly?" she asked.

Suwe brightened. "Oh, indeed. I was just elected three months ago. I'm one of the youngest Assembly members in centuries."

"She earned every bit of that position, though," Riyo cut in. "Her record in the House of Addresses spoke for itself."

"That reminds me," Suwe said, turning to Riyo, "Last week, there was a-"

Suddenly, a blinding flash of flames filled Ahsoka's eyes and a sound like a thunderclap echoed through her ears, knocking her senseless, and she collapsed to the ground.

 _"_ _Ahsoka!"_

 _"_ _Ahsoka!"_

" _Ahsoka!_ "

There it was again. Riyo's tortured voice, crying out her name over and over again. Ahsoka couldn't stop it. All she could do was stay there on her hands and knees and wait for the vision to be over.

"Ahsoka!"

Riyo's voice- the real one, full of concern and right next to her, cut through the haze in Ahsoka's mind, and she managed to raise her head, her eyesight clearing, to find Suwe, Jorys, and Edose gathered around her with expressions of worry.

"Are you all right?" Riyo asked, and Ahsoka turned to find her anxious face just inches from hers. "What happened?"

"I-" Ahsoka replayed the vision in her head, and it became clear to her that something was going to go very, very wrong very soon. "I had a vision," she said quickly. "Something's wrong. Stop the speeder."

"Stop the speeder?" Jorys said. "Why? We're almost to the Senate Building."

Ahsoka got to her feet, dread mounting in her, and repeated the order, lacing her tone with authority. "Stop. _Something is wrong."_

Jorys seemed to grasp Ahsoka's urgency, and she started for the cockpit, her soldierly side quickly taking over. "Right. I'm telling the pilot to set us down. Edose, scan the speeder again. Ahsoka, do what you need to do."

Ahsoka moved closer to Riyo's side.

"What's going on?" Suwe asked nervously.

"I don't know yet," Ahsoka said. "I had a vision. Something's going to go wrong."

The speeder swung left. Edose took out a scanner and started going over every inch of the speeder as Ahsoka watched anxiously.

Suddenly, his scanner began beeping rapidly and flashing.

"I've got something here," Edose yelled, waving it over the floor. "It wasn't here before we left."

Ahsoka ran over. "What is it?"

Edose held up his scanner. "Some sort of explosive device. It's right next to the fuel line that goes to the repulsorlifts-"

 _"_ _Ahsoka!_ "

Ahsoka started violently at the sudden sound of Riyo's desperate voice from her vision, and it spurred her into action. They had no time. She glanced toward one of the windows and unhooked her blaster. "Tell the pilot to get to the nearest thing we can land on," she said, aiming at the window.

"What are you-" Edose started to say.

Ahsoka ignored him and fired, shattering the window. Then, dropping her blaster, she ran towards it and jumped out.

A cry of alarm from Riyo reached her ears as she whipped around in midair, using the Force to pull herself onto the side of the speeder. She flattened herself against the side, and with only the Force keeping her from falling miles to the ground, she inched her way down until she was hanging from the lower edge of the speeder, looking at its underside. She scanned the workings, letting the Force guide her search.

 _There!_ A tiny black box attached to one of the fuel lines for the repulsorlifts, just where Edose had said. She swung over to it, trying not to look at the drop below her.

Swaying dangerously, she reached out and grabbed it with one hand, but it was stuck fast. The welding lines on it were still warm, indicating that it had just been put there. She yanked on it again uselessly and growled in frustration. There was no time. She _had_ to save Riyo.

Trying to break open the box would probably set off the bomb. Her lightsaber sure would have been useful right about now.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Normally, she would've repeated the Jedi Code to calm herself, but she hadn't felt too friendly towards the Jedi Order in a while.

She closed her eyes, drawing on the Force for strength, and concentrated. She would get it right this time. She only felt the power building in her and the bomb in front of her.

Then, throwing her eyes wide open, she whipped out her hand like a cobra and _pulled._

There was a faint screech of metal being pushed past its breaking point. But it wasn't enough. The box still wasn't moving, and the Force was blaring warnings in her head. The bomb was going to go off any second now.

 _"_ _Ahsoka!"_

Riyo's voice from the nightmarish vision filled her head yet again, and Ahsoka gritted her teeth. She wouldn't let Riyo die. She pulled on the bomb harder than ever, feeling the Force lace around her hands and pull in harmony.

Finally, with the Force screaming at her and the wind rushing around her as she dangled a thousand feet off the ground, she wrenched the bomb away.

With a final shriek of tearing metal, it jerked loose from the ship, and for a brief second, she stared at the deadly box in her hand, trying to figure out what to do with it. She glanced at the speeder lanes below. There were some pretty clear spots- if she threw it at the right moment-

Suddenly, the Force burned with a warning, and she instinctively let go of the bomb.

A few seconds later, too close for comfort, it exploded in a blazing fireball in midair, tossing the speeder sideways and leaving Ahsoka clinging on for dear life to the underside. After a few fraught seconds, she recovered her grip and breathed a sigh of relief, beginning the slow climb back into the speeder. Riyo was safe. Thank the Force.

Reaching the window that she'd shot out before, she flipped inside and landed neatly on her feet, to the evident shock of everyone there. Edose let out a strangled gasp and staggered back, Suwe yelped something in a different language, and Riyo simply stood there, stock-still with her skin turning a flat white.  
"Uh, hi," Ahsoka said. "I took care of the bomb."

The first person to move was Riyo, who and rushed forward, wrapping Ahsoka in an ecstatic hug. "Thank the gods!" she groaned happily. "I thought you died! I heard the explosion, and I thought that you'd gone down with- with the bomb-" She took a shuddering breath. "Oh, _gods_ , I would have been _devastated_ if you died."

"Well, don't worry," Ahsoka said, patting Riyo's back. "I'm right here. I can't be killed so easily, you know." Riyo responded by hugging her even harder.

"Are you sure the bomb's gone?" Edose cut in, glancing nervously around the speeder. "There could be more-"

At that moment, the speeder landed heavily, sending everybody stumbling. A few moments later, Jorys tore into the cabin.

"Everybody, out, we're at the Senate Building," she announced. "I've already got CorSec on the scene. Hurry up, we've got a schedule to stay on."

* * *

Ahsoka ran her hands over the remnants of the welding lines where the bomb had been attached to the speeder, as Jorys and a Coruscant Security inspector looked on.

"That's where I pulled the bomb out," she said.

"This definitely wasn't there when we started," Jorys said. "I personally checked the entire underside before."

"You're right," Ahsoka remarked. "These welds are still warm. Something put the bomb on the ship while we were traveling."

The inspector stroked his chin in a manner oddly reminiscent of Master Kenobi. "This act seems to be of a criminal nature," he said.

Jorys turned to the inspector. "How would a bomb be attached to this thing in midair?"

"It's a simple matter. All that would be needed is a modified flying maintenance droid - the sort that you'd find at a refueling station- and it could easily be made to go to the speeder and plant the bomb in midair without attracting attention," he explained.

"Do you have any idea as to _who_ would do this?" Jorys asked.

The inspector shrugged. "We're in the middle of a war. There's plenty of people who would want a Republic senator dead."

"That doesn't help us," Ahsoka grumbled. "Do you have any leads?"

"We've got nothing to go on," he said apologetically. "I'll put out a few patrols to see if we can find the remains of the bomb, and I'll try to track down someone who saw the droid planting the bomb, but I think it'll be very hard to find the culprit."

Ahsoka thought suddenly of an Alsakanian senator who carried a pistol into meetings with rivals, and she squinted in thought. Tebathia certainly had the guts to do it…

* * *

Having finally gotten the investigation out of the way, Ahsoka stepped onto Riyo's pod in the Senate Rotunda. Suwe sat in the back as Riyo, who was busy with her datapad, acknowledged Ahsoka's presence with a nod and immediately went back to work.

Ahsoka glanced around the Rotunda. Even after multiple visits, the place still made her head spin. The thousands of senators in the chamber was a testament to the immensity of the Republic. This was where things got _done_ , even if that was pretty hard to do lately. Something would get done today, that was for sure.

The Shili system was one pod that caught her eye, and she felt a twinge of connection as she looked at the only other Togruta in the chamber beside herself. In an instant, however, she forgot that as the Force gave her a nudge, and her eyes found another pod with several even more recognizable figures: Master Yoda, Master Windu, Master Koon, Master Fisto, and Master Allie. The High Jedi Council was observing the senatorial session- something they didn't usually do.

Her contemplations were interrupted by the voice of Mas Amedda, the Vice Chair of the Senate, calling, "ORDER! I call this session to order!"

Ahsoka turned her attention to the center of the Rotunda as the chamber fell quiet.

"The eighteenth and final meeting of the Forty Thousand, Two Hundred and Nineteenth Session of the Republic Senate will now begin," Amedda declared. "The Honorable Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine holds the chair."

A vociferous wave of applause greeted Palpatine as he stood up to address the crowd. He held up his hand, and silence fell at once.

"Honorable senators of the Republic," he began. "I have a few opening remarks. The Republic has never faced a greater crisis than this war. Despite this, we ably rose to the occasion and beat back the Confederation of Independent Systems from all of the Mid Rim, and despite recent setbacks in the Outer Rim, the Republic as a whole has never been safer during the war than it is now." He paused, and a small cheer arose, but it was hurriedly quashed when he turned to level an imposing stare at all sides of the Rotunda. "But that does not mean that we can become complacent," he continued. "On the contrary, I expect this session to affirm our dedication to total victory. The time for celebration will come when we have won the war. There are several laws to be voted on in this session that propose radical changes to the government in order to hasten the war effort. I personally favor these changes, but as always, the Senate ultimately makes the decision. I expect that everyone here will do what is best for the Republic. Thank you. May this august body always prosper." A thunderous wave of cheering exploded even as Palpatine was saying his last words.

Riyo leaned over to Ahsoka. "A good opening, but a blow to our side, now that he's endorsed the Sector Governance Bill," she said in a low voice. "It's a mistake. All Palpatine sees is the chance to end the war. He's completely missing the big picture."

Ahsoka mulled over the words of Riyo and the Chancellor. Certainly, it wasn't a good thing that he was endorsing the end of democracy. But he was a man of action whose biggest desire was to win this war. He had to have good intentions- Riyo had faith in him, so she should as well.

Palpatine signaled for quiet and stood up again. "The proceedings shall begin," he said. "We begin with the debate of the proposed Judiciary Act #1789…"

* * *

Over the course of the next many hours, Ahsoka watched as a procession of bills were introduced, debated, and voted on. Almost all of them were passing the vote- at one point, six straight bills were approved. According to Riyo, this wasn't a good sign.

"This sort of thing happens every once in a while. The Senate gets in a mood, and they'll approve anything you put in front of them," she commented, leaning over to Ahsoka after a bill for allotting funding to an experimental 'TIE Fighter' craft was approved. "It takes a lot to stop them once they get going."

Indeed, things looked bleak to Ahsoka. She believed that Riyo could still pull out a victory, but the Chancellor's rousing speech at the start seemed to have had an effect on the Senate. The cheering was resounding for any bill that was passed, suggesting that things were definitely not in their favor.

Despite this, Riyo showed no signs of defeatism, and watched the proceedings more closely than ever. Late in the afternoon, Riyo turned to her speech and started writing down something as if struck by lightning. In the midst of writing, she glanced up for a second, surveying the Rotunda, and a _pulse_ in the Force erupted out from her, startling Ahsoka. After a few moments, she realized that Riyo had just done a rudimentary form of emotion-reading with the Force. And the way that she had looked while doing it, it looked to be no accident.

Finally, as the time neared eighteen hundred hours, Palpatine stepped up to the podium.

"We come to this session's last bill," he announced. "The Sector Governance Bill. Both sides may have up to twenty minutes to present their argument. For the argument in favor of the bill, the chair recognizes the senator from the Alsakan System."

Senator Tebathia's pod floated into the middle of the Rotunda, and she acknowledged the swell of applause with a magnanimous wave.

"Friends," she began, once quiet had fallen. "Fellow citizens. The Republic is at a crossroads in this great war…"

Tebathia's speech lasted sixteen minutes, in which she outlined all of the reasons why it was necessary to pass the Sector Governance Bill, citing the need to limit the damage and the tremendous strain on resources, and the need to restore order in the Outer Rim. It was a good thesis, Ahsoka noted glumly, made even better in Tebathia's persuasive tones.

"In conclusion, I reiterate that it is madness to block this bill. By doing so, you are prolonging the torture of the Republic and its people," Tebathia finished.

A round of thunderous applause greeted the end of the speech. Tebathia smiled widely and stepped down.

Riyo shook her head. "Senator Tebathia just may have done it again," she whispered to Ahsoka. "That speech was _good._ Here goes nothing."

Palpatine rose again. "For the argument against the bill, the chair recognizes the senator from the Pantoran System," he announced.

Their pod floated into the center, and all eyes in the Senate turned to her. For a half-second, all was silent as Ahsoka and Riyo took in the fifteen thousand gazes directed at them. Ahsoka watched her carefully, feeling for any sign of nervousness or hesitation. But Riyo was unreadable, her face a composed blank and her emotions impervious. She fussed with her speech for a moment, glanced around the Rotunda, and spoke.

"Some of you may have expected Senator Amidala from the Naboo System to give this speech," she said. "Unfortunately, she is currently dealing with an urgent medical issue. I am speaking in her place."

A murmur swept through the Rotunda, and Ahsoka sensed a wave of dozens of emotions- disappointment, worry, fear, and restlessness, just to name a few. She could sense one especially strong bastion of smugness, and she didn't even need to turn towards the Alsakanian pod to know who that was.

Riyo stood still, waiting for quiet. Ahsoka sensed a spike of agitation in her. An idea occurred to her, and she glanced around for a moment indecisively before reaching out, making sure the movement was out of sight, and taking Riyo's hand.

Riyo glanced over in surprise. Ahsoka squeezed Riyo's hand gently and sent out a nudge of encouragement through the Force. "You can do this," she whispered.

A confident smile spread over Riyo's features, and she turned back to face the Rotunda as silence fell, opening her mouth.

"Citizens of the Republic," she began, her authoritative voice ringing throughout the Rotunda. "I stand before you today in the greatest bastion of democracy in this entire galaxy. Before me are more than fifteen thousand senators, each of whom represent even more numerous systems in this galaxy. It is by the miracle of democracy that every one of these hundreds of thousands of planets has a voice in this great Republic. As I speak, an army greater than any before in the history of the galaxy is protecting this great house, so that we may carry on these proceedings."

"But yet," she continued, after a short pause, "We stand on the precipice of a dissolution of the threads that have held this civilization together for so long. The passing of the Sector Governance Bill will mean the end of the Republic and the beginning of something unknown, and far worse."

"Let us not forget that this great war, which has devastated a thousand planets, which is fought by an army composed of millions of living, breathing men who will readily give their lives so that we may exist for another day, which is being fought for the continuation of the Republic, and therefore the continuation of democracy. However, the Sector Governance Bill will make this war nothing but an empty promise to every soldier that died, and every citizen that lived."

"This bill will snuff out the voices of tens of thousands of populated systems, leaving them at the mercy of the governors that would have the power to do anything that they want. There are numerous senators in this Rotunda who would suddenly be without power if the Sector Governance Bill passes. That is _not_ democracy. If this bill was passed, then the Republic would be no better than the Separatists. Democracy is what separates us from the droids and traitors on the other side of the battlefield."

"The Chancellor is a great man," she continued. "I do not doubt his ability to lead us in war or peace. But this is too much power for _any_ one person to hold. Not even the Jedi, who have powers beyond what most of us can comprehend, could have this much power. If anyone less successful, such as Valorum, our infamous predecessor, held office right now, then this bill would not pass, because then we would see that it truly is the death of democracy. When the word of the people is bypassed, it becomes a direct attack on the principles that the Republic was founded on."

"We seek a moral high ground in this war, to find proof that we really are better than the Separatists. Here it is. Join me, then, in taking down this bill so that we may continue to ensure that this government, one that was created and supported by the people, remains a government _for_ the people. Remember what we are fighting this war for. May the Republic stand for all time under the banner of the greatest authority of them all- Democracy.

"Thank you." She stepped back from the podium.

Stunned silence greeted the end of the speech. The entire Rotunda was still as Riyo watched the audience with an expressionless face. Ahsoka could sense a virtual tempest of emotions in the chamber, so many that she couldn't even begin to pick out the prevailing opinions.

Finally, a ripple of applause sounded. Riyo took that as her cue to sit down, and She took the seat next to Ahsoka and buried her face in her hands.

"It's no good," she whispered. "I'm a disgrace to the Republic."

Ahsoka laid a comforting hand on Riyo's back. "Listen-" she started, before a change in the Force made her pause. The applause in the Rotunda, small at first, grew in strength, rolling through the chamber as more and more senators joined in, and at its deafening crescendo, it was as powerful as the applause for Tebathia's speech. Riyo lifted her head and listened in wonder to the ovation.

"Don't underestimate yourself," Ahsoka said.

* * *

The time had come. The votes had been collected and tallied, and now all that was left was for the Chancellor to announce the results.

Riyo sat on the edge of her seat, anxiously tapping her thumbs together as she waited. Admittedly, Ahsoka was nervous. Riyo's speech had been fantastic. They should have a fighting chance. But maybe Tebathia's influence and support could have just been too much to overcome. The sense of anticipation in the Rotunda was immense as Palpatine stepped up to speak.

"The vote has been tallied," he announced. "Without further ado, here are the results." He lifted a datapad to his eyes and peered at the screen, his expression neutral. "By a vote of nine thousand, nine hundred and eighty-four to five thousand, three hundred and ninety-six-"

Murmuring spread through the Rotunda, but Palpatine silenced the disturbance with a stern glare and continued on. "-by a vote of 9,984 to 5,396, the Republic has voted _against_ the Sector Governance Bill."

This time, the reaction was instantaneous, with no pause to let it sink in. Instead, the noise level in the Rotunda soared exponentially even as the Chancellor attempted to make a few closing remarks. The entire chamber was shaking as senators from both sides contributed to the cacophony, cheering and groaning. A few overexcited politicians threw their datapads up in celebration.

Ahsoka took one last look around the Rotunda. The Jedi were nodding in approval, while the Chancellor looked to be having the converse reaction- his face was an expression of stony disapproval as he stood quietly, watching the pandemonium around him. But by far the most glorious reaction came from the Alsakan pod. Senator Tebathia was sitting in her seat, completely and utterly shell-shocked. The look on her face was one of complete incredulity, and wave after wave of disbelief roiled the Force around her.

Ahsoka smirked. Nothing had ever felt so sweet as Tebathia's face right now.

She turned around. And how had Riyo reacted? She had leaned back into her seat with a rapturous smile, before she rose to her feet and shook the hands of Suwe, Jorys, and Edose. And finally, she turned as Ahsoka approached, and their eyes met.

"Hey," said Ahsoka.

Riyo grinned. "Hey."

"You did it," Ahsoka said gently, taking her hand.

"No, _we_ did it," Riyo corrected, taking up Ahsoka's other hand. "I can't thank you enough."

The two of them stood face-to-face in the chaos, fingers enlaced, gazing at each other with adoring expressions, and Ahsoka really didn't think she'd ever seen anyone or anything more beautiful than Riyo at that moment. She was only a foot away from Riyo's face- all she had to do was lean in- now she was close enough to count the individual lashes on Riyo's eyelids-

"Senator Chuchi!"

The sudden sound of an excited voice broke Ahsoka and Riyo apart, and she turned to see a very enthusiastic senator from Talus _climbing into their pod._

"Hey!" Ahsoka barked, pulling out her blaster and stepping in front of Riyo. "You can't do that!"

The Talusian froze, half into the pod. "I'm- I'm sorry," he gasped, backing out slightly. "I only wanted to congratulate the senator-"

Riyo laid a comforting hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. "I'm going to have to get used to shaking hands now," she laughed. "Might as well get started. Let him in, Ahsoka."

She shook the Talusian's hand, and the celebration began.

* * *

The rest of their night was a whirlwind. After Riyo had shaken what felt like a thousand hands and accepted the congratulations of just about every senator in the vicinity, they finally started out of the Senate Building. Ahsoka stuck to Riyo's side like glue, but she wasn't worried about an assassination attempt anymore. The vote was in. Nobody had an incentive to go after Riyo now.  
Upon arrival at Riyo's suite, a party began- one that Jorys, Edose, and Ahsoka had been planning beforehand, sight unseen. All the prominent Anti-Governance senators were in attendance- Organa, Mothma, Iblis and others- with the exception of Senator Amidala. But Amidala did impact the party in her own way when the news spread through the party that the senator had given birth to twins- a boy and a girl, and all were in good health. The father, however, was unknown.

Everyone was in agreement that Riyo's speech had saved the Anti-Governance effort. At least four toasts were given to her that night, and a fifth would have been given to her, except that she insisted that some of the credit go to the others who'd helped.

It was quite a shock when Master Yoda and Master Windu stopped by Riyo's suite to offer their personal congratulations. When they walked in, Windu's eyes bulged upon seeing Ahsoka sitting next to Riyo, but he made a fantastic recovery and congratulated the senator along with Yoda. The two masters did not acknowledge Ahsoka in any capacity past Windu's surprise.

With the exception of the Jedi, it was one of the happiest nights in Ahsoka's life in a long, long time. Helping to save democracy was indeed a cause for celebration. Long after the party had petered out, she, Jorys, Edose, and Riyo sat together to converse over a few more drinks, each at various levels of intoxication, from mostly sober (Edose) to buzzed but coherent (Ahsoka and Riyo) and finally, asleep (Jorys). ("At least it's better than the last time she drank alcohol," Edose said. "I swore never to speak of it.")

And after long last, when Ahsoka went to bed, she couldn't help but fall asleep with a smile on her face, as thoughts of a galaxy at peace danced in her head.

 **A/N: If you think this chapter had action, wait for the next chapter. That's where I've put the _real_ action- speeder chases, bombs, races against time, kisses, etc. And if you think that this chapter wraps up a nice little story, then that is true, but I am going to write _so much more._ I'm going right through Order 66 and Mustafar, and I have sequels planned. Buckle up. It's going to be a wild ride.  
** **Just so you know, I completely made up the stuff about how the Republic government works. I don't have the slightest idea how they do things. Most of the government paraphernalia that I write is made up.  
** **I also went back and made quite a few revisions to the first several chapters, so if you go back and re-read the story from the beginning after this update, it'll look a little different. Nothing's been fundamentally changed- I just altered the order of some of the first scenes to make the story flow better.**


	13. Chapter 13: An Intertwining Of Destinies

**Chapter 13: An Intertwining of Destinies (End of Act 1)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **A/N: Well, here it is. This is a big milestone in this story, because this chapter represents the one-third mark for me in terms of the plot line- Act one was the political thriller, Act 2 will be the romance with action and adventure, and Act 3 will be… Well, you'll see.**

 **Now, I want to give a big thank-you to every person who left a review on this story: TCWRules, cptawkward, Captain leon, Righteousham, Lost Lauren, Happy Doodle,** **BR0TH3R MENACE, FoxfaceFan1, WintersLoneWolf, CatBludger3903, sabrac1, and the three guests- Thank you so much to all of you for taking the time to leave a review.**

 **Now, guess what? If you left a review on this story at any point, then I'll write a 500-word Star Wars fic of your choice for you! It can be set in the A Path She Couldn't Follow universe (no spoilers, sorry), or it can be from anywhere else in the Star Wars universe. This giveaway is only open to people who left a review under a profile, because I have no way of verifying who a guest reviewer is and someone could claim to be a guest reviewer when they actually aren't. I reserve the right to not write a story, but it would be pretty hard to ask me to write something that I couldn't write. Send me a PM to let me know what you want me to write for you. The number of reviews you've left doesn't mean anything- one fic for each user no matter what.**

 **Enjoy the chapter, and don't forget to ask me for a 500-word story if you've left a review! (P.S: I'll do this again after Act 2 and Act 3.) Enjoy the chapter!**

The next morning, Ahsoka woke up to a galaxy that seemed considerably more optimistic. The stress of the Sector Governance Bill was gone, and soon she would be walking out into the galaxy on her own path.

Without Riyo.

She felt a painful tug in her chest. Kriff. Now was not the time to have second thoughts.

Well, she would think about that later, after she had left. Right now, she needed to pack.

Her old Jedi cloaks and robes weren't necessary anymore, and neither were her volumes on meditation. The cloaks would go to a secondhand shop, and Riyo was going to keep the books. Everything else that she was keeping fit into a small pack that she could throw over her shoulder.

She had already told Rosgrest to be ready later that day, and she had all the money she needed to pay him. She was ready to go. But… she would be leaving without Riyo.

Ahsoka sighed. _Come on,_ she told herself. _You can't let your crushes get in the way of your duty. This happened to you before. With Lux. And with- with- with-_

Abruptly, an image of a slender Mirialan Padawan with deep blue eyes filled Ahsoka's mind, and she had to close her eyes and forcibly push the thought out of her head. That was history- far too painful for her to even think about. Just the thought of the name was enough to make her want to curl up into a ball and cry- she hated thinking about the betrayal, she hated thinking about how much it still hurt- the pain and the _rage_ that it made her feel-

 _STOP THINKING ABOUT BARRISS!_ she screamed at herself, rubbing her forehead. She couldn't be miserable today. Any other day but today.

She pushed open her door and walked into the living room. Riyo lounged on one of the couches, watching a holoscreen on the far wall, where three news reporters were talking. A caption scrolling across the bottom of the trumpeted, 'SECTOR GOVERNANCE BILL DEFEATED 7,984-7,396.'

"-an incredible comeback victory," one of the reporters was saying. "Nearly all of the 'undecided' senators voted anti-governance after Senator Chuchi's incredible speech."

"Morning," Ahsoka said, sitting down next to Riyo, who looked up with a brilliant smile.

"Hi. I've been watching this all morning," Riyo gushed. "I've never been praised on galactic television before."

"It's one of the greatest speeches I've ever heard," another anchor added on the holoscreen. "I have to admit, I liked the Sector Governance Bill, but Chuchi made me see it differently. She said it perfectly. It's becoming clearer and clearer that we're going to win this war, so why bother changing things now? This _was_ a war for upholding the principles of the Republic, after all."

"When I was a child," Riyo said suddenly, still watching the newscast, "Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this would happen to me."

Ahsoka patted Riyo's shoulder. "You did it all." She'd never been so proud.

"Oh- before I forget-" Riyo pulled out her datapad and handed it to Ahsoka. "Check your bank account."

Ahsoka turned on the datapad and followed Riyo's instructions. Her account read,

 _Bank of Coruscant_

 _Account #A31415926535-11386969732097882122_

 _Balance: 4000 Republic Credits_

Ahsoka squinted at the total. "You've overpaid me. It should only be two thousand seven hundred-fifty."

Riyo shrugged. "So I rounded up a little. Who knows how much money you might need out there?"

"You don't need to do this," Ahsoka protested. "I'm already leaving you behind. I'm the one who should be trying to make you feel better."

Riyo shook her head. "As a person who really- really-" she faltered. "-really- is a good _friend_ to you- I need to be able to let you do what makes you happy as well. It's what matters the most."

Damn it. Ahsoka was not going to cry right now. She couldn't cry. _Don't cry don't cryDON'TCRY-_

"I'm going to go get some caf," she said abruptly, standing up. But before she even got halfway to the kitchen, Jorys walked into the suite.

"Tano," she said. "I think your ride's here. There's an Iktotchi by the name of Kevor Rosgrest down there. He's illegally parked his freighter in a speeder lot."

Ahsoka sighed and turned around, calling her pack into her hand with the Force. More and more, she was regretting the decision to make a deal with that smuggler to get to Cato Neimoidia. "He's here already? I might as well get going, then."

She was halfway to the door when Riyo's voice, quiet and brimming with emotion, stopped her in her tracks.

"Ahsoka."

 _Oh, KRIFF_ , Ahsoka thought, turning around. _Please don't beg me to stay. I might say yes._

"Listen, before you leave…" Riyo began. "I just wanted to get something off my chest. It might take a few minutes."

Mechanically, Ahsoka sat back down next to Riyo. "Go ahead. I've got plenty of time."

Riyo took a deep breath and began. "Ever since we first became friends, you've been one of the best people I've ever known. You've saved my life countless times. You helped to save my planet. You've been my friend through this entire war. That time when we were on the Trade Federation ship over Pantora… I realized something that day, but I didn't know what I realized until a just couple weeks ago. When I found you five weeks ago, you were like a gift from the gods. You helped me so much- you even helped me discover Force powers that I didn't even know I had." Riyo's expression was dead serious. "I wouldn't be where I am right now without you. And now you're about to go off into a war that's killed billions of people. So this's why I have to tell you this now. I might never get another chance." Riyo took a deep breath and looked up at Ahsoka with pleading eyes.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Ahsoka, and I'm in love with you."

Ahsoka's eyes widened.

 _Oh. KRIFF._

She couldn't deny this any longer. Just once… just once. To satisfy both of their feelings.

She closed her eyes and leaned in, cupping Riyo's face, and their lips met.

Cities burned. Worlds exploded. Empires rose and fell. The galaxy was never the same. None of it mattered.

It was the _here_ and the _now_ that was important, and all Ahsoka cared about was the feel of Riyo's soft lips on hers, and the warmth of Riyo's body pressed against hers, arms around her, and _oh yes this was what she'd wanted all along_ -

She broke away, gasping, her lips tingling- no, her _whole body_ felt like it was aflame- as Riyo fell back, her eyes wide, her face full of wonder.

"Riyo-" Ahsoka started, struggling for words that could even _begin_ to describe how she felt, at the same time that Riyo said, "Ahsoka-"

Suddenly, Ahsoka's vision warped, and then she wasn't looking at Riyo in front of her- it was _Barriss,_ looking just as lost and innocent, and Ahsoka was so scared that she wanted to vomit, because memories of another trembling kiss with a tragic ending were filling her mind, she was _afraid_ , so afraid-

She didn't have another conscious thought until she was at the end of the hallway, panting for breath. To the infinite credit of Jorys, she said nothing as she took Ahsoka down to the speeder lot. Still dazed, Ahsoka barely heard Jorys's parting words to her.

"I wish you nothing but the best, Tano," Jorys said, shaking her hand. "You saved Senator Chuchi's life more than once. Without you, she'd most likely be dead."

"Uh, thanks," Ahsoka muttered. "May the Force be with you, Jorys."

Jorys cocked her head at Ahsoka. "Anything else?"

"Uh- tell Riyo that I said- said that I- I said goodbye."

Jorys nodded. "Right. I'll do that." She paused, and then she put a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. "Goodbye, Tano. You're a good person. But I can't say that I like the choice you're making here. In case you have second thoughts… the Senator's leaving in half an hour from hangar 1138."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Ahsoka to head towards Rosgrest's ship with her head spinning.

"Morning," Rosgrest said jauntily, greeting her at the boarding ramp. "Ready to go?"

"Just get me out of here," Ahsoka growled, walking up into the belly of the ship.

Rosgrest followed her up into the ship. "Lockers are on your left after the hold. Bunks are directly after the lockers, and the lounge is to your right. I'll go get the ship going."

"Thanks," Ahsoka mumbled, heading off to the lockers.

The freighter's engines powered up with a rumble as she tossed her stuff into a storage locker, and as the ship lifted off the ground, she found the bunks and sat down heavily on one. Force. She was actually doing this. Cato Neimoidia was just a few standard days in hyperspace away. Would she ever see Riyo again?

After a minute, she made her way over to the cockpit, where Rosgrest was steering into the speeder lanes.

"Oh, good," he said, looking up as she entered. "Have a seat. I could use some help here."

"Sure." Ahsoka sat down in the copilot's seat and glanced around. "What should I do?"

"Plug the coordinates for Cato Neimoidia into the navcomputer. I want to make the jump to hyperspace as soon as we're out of Coruscant's gravity well."

"Sure." Ahsoka turned on the navcomputer.

"Hey, about my payment-" Rosgrest started.

Ahsoka held up her datapad, quieting him. "I've got all the credits right here. They'll be yours after you get me to Cato Neimoidia."

"Wonderful," Rosgrest said. After a pause, he added with a grumble, "I still can't believe you made me wait here for five weeks."

"It was better than being arrested," Ahsoka shot back.

Rosgrest fell silent, immediately cowed, and Ahsoka turned back to the navcomputer, jabbing in the coordinates for Cato Neimoidia.

A query popped up on the computer- ENTER COORDINATES?

Ahsoka went to enter before she could touch the screen, an explosion rent her vision and sent her reeling as images of flames, death, despair filled her head-

 _"Ahsoka!"_

 _"Ahsoka!"_

No. No. NO. NO! Not this again. Riyo was out of danger now. Why was she having that vision again?!

"Hey!"

Someone was yelling at her. She opened her eyes (She hadn't even realized that they were closed) and saw Rosgrest looking over at her.

"What happened?" he asked. "You started shaking all over, like you'd been electrocuted. Did one of the switches short-circuit?"

"No," Ahsoka managed, taking a deep breath. "Sorry. Just… got overwhelmed for a second."

"Well, as long as you're all right." Rosgrest turned back to his controls and flipped a switch. "A dead customer can't pay me."

"How _considerate_ of you." When Rosgrest didn't reply, Ahsoka sat down heavily in the copilot's seat again. _Why_ in the _Force_ was she having that kriffing vision again? The threat to Riyo was over now. Unless… Unless it wasn't.

No. No sane person that was trying to pass the Sector Governance Bill would try to kill Riyo _after_ the bill had been struck down.

A small voice in her head piped up: _But most criminals who blow up things aren't necessarily sane._

Kriff, when had her subconscious started going against her?

Rosgrest's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Hey, did you put the coordinates in yet?" he asked.

Ahsoka blinked as she realized that her finger was still hovering over the screen, with the computer's query for entering coordinates unanswered.

Could she leave Riyo behind? _Could she?_

Suddenly, the sound of sirens filled the cockpit.

Rosgrest swore, and Ahsoka looked up to see a Republic police gunship flying above them, lights flashing.

"What in the _Force?!"_ she said. She turned to Rosgrest accusingly. "What did you do?!"

"Nothing! Nothing!" Rosgrest said frantically. "I don't know why the police would after us!" He glanced up again. "Should I stop? Maybe they noticed my busted radar dish."

Ahsoka stared at the gunship. There was someone in it that felt oddly familiar-

And then Commander Fox's voice came crackling through the communicator.

 _"Screaming Japnek,_ stop immediately and lay down any weapons you may be carrying. Prepare to be boarded and searched."

Oh, no. This was serious. "GO!" she yelled at Rosgrest.

Rosgrest jumped and slammed down the throttle. The freighter sprang ahead, their speed increasing to something that was definitely illegal, and they began weaving through traffic. Rosgrest bent over his controls, perspiring as he jerked the freighter through narrow gaps that Ahsoka wouldn't have tried going through with a bike. The gunship was in hot pursuit, but the freighter was leading by the thinnest of margins.

"How are we staying ahead of them?!" Ahsoka asked in disbelief.

"This ship's got more modifications than a Hutt's mother," Rosgrest said proudly, pushing the freighter between two massive passenger crafts. "What I did to the engine is illegal in all but fourteen star systems. It can do the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs."

"Parsecs are a unit of distance, you idiot," Ahsoka snapped, trying not to get thrown out of her seat.

Rosgrest threw a surprised look over his shoulder. "You're the third person I've ever met that knew what a parsec was."

"Just drive," Ahsoka said through clenched teeth. The gunship was still hot on their heels, and she was starting to worry. "There's no way that we can get out of the planet's gravity before they call for reinforcement."

"You may be right," said Rosgrest thoughtfully. As if to back up the point, Commander Fox's voice echoed through the cabin again:

 _"Screaming Japnek,_ cease your evasion immediately or we will open fire. This is your last warning."

Rosgrest snorted and took a tight turn into another lane. "Fire on us? This is the Republic. They wouldn't do that."

Ahsoka gulped. If Fox was looking for _her_ , then there was a very good chance that he would-

A volley of blue laser bolts flashed across the windshield, coming just inches from hitting them.

"Kriff!" Rosgrest screamed, jerking the ship to the right. "They weren't kidding!"

 _"Screaming Japnek,_ those were warning shots," Fox said through the comm. "We will shoot to disable your ship if you do not cease and desist immediately."

"This is the Republic!" Rosgrest said. "They wouldn't just open fire on a civilian vehicle like that, right?"

Suddenly, the ship shook, and Ahsoka heard the sound of muffled explosions from the rear of the ship.

"I guess so! Shields!" Rosgrest yelped, slamming the throttle forwards and pushing the ship to dangerous speeds.

Ahsoka jumped across the cockpit to smash the button for the shields, and to her intense relief, a quiet _thrum_ spread through the ship, signaling their activation. A series of muted thuds from behind confirmed that the shields were holding.

"We need to get out of here," Ahsoka said, taking a seat.

"You're right," Rosgrest said. "Change of plans."

He pushed the steering yoke all the way forward, and they dove out of the speeder lanes into the lower levels of Coruscant. The gunship followed, but the Rosgrest took aim at an impossibly narrow space between two buildings.

"My ship's smaller," he said, shoving the throttle forward.

Horror overtook Ahsoka. "DON'T!" she yelled. "There's no way-"

Rosgrest threw the yoke to the right, and the ship spun sideways. Ahsoka took a tense breath as the ship screamed towards the gap.

And then they sailed through by the narrowest of margins. Fox's gunship was forced to pull up, and just like that, the pursuit was over.

"YES!" Rosgrest pumped his fist and slowed the ship to a gentle cruise.

Ahsoka allowed herself to relax and nodded at Rosgrest. "Nice job."

Rosgrest leaned forward and patted the dashboard. "I love you, you wonderful hunk of junk! You didn't let me down _this_ time!"

"But now we've got to get out of here. The whole planet is going to be on high alert now. You think we can make it out before they notice us?"

Rosgrest chuckled. "Oh, do I think?" He reached down and removed a panel from the dashboard, revealing a row of switches that were definitely modifications. "I've got one more trick up my sleeve." He ran his hand across the switches, switching every single one of them from _off_ to _on._ "I'll have to reroute some power from the shields, because this modification sucks power like nobody's business, but-" He reached down and pulled a lever rising from the floor, which resulted in a _ka-chunk_ sound- "-This baby is highly illegal for a reason."

"Can it get us out of here?" Ahsoka asked.

"Oh, you bet." Rosgrest sat back down in his chair and pushed the throttle forward slightly. The engines kicked to life with an entirely new sound- a throaty rumble, like a beast rising from a deep-space nebula. "I call it the Republic Special. It combines a military-spec Corellian YE-9 power cell, four engine couplings lifted from some wrecked Z-95 Headhunters, a sublight driver belt system pulled from a gunship-"

Abruptly, Rosgrest's description was interrupted by a volley of flashing lights in front of them.

"What the-" Ahsoka looked up. And then her heart sank.

Four Z-95 headhunters were circling them- two above them and two in front, and in the distance, Commander Fox's gunship was approaching them.

"Kriff," Rosgrest muttered.

Fox's voice returned to the comm. " _Screaming Japnek,_ this is your last warning before we bring you down by any means necessary. Touch down and shut off all your engines."

Rosgrest fingered the throttle, revving the engines ever so slightly. "I can still outrun them, you know," he said to Ahsoka. "There's no ship in the galaxy that can catch this."

Ahsoka looked out the window at the five ships around them, and she thought of Cato Neimoidia and freedom. Then she thought of Riyo. Of their journey together, through war and politics. Of everything that they'd learned about each other. Of the trust they'd built together. And of one single kiss, with meaning behind it that she couldn't ignore anymore.

She made her decision. To kriff with Cato Neimoidia. She was walking away from someone who cared deeply for her. Again. She couldn't do that.

And seconds later, the Force, in its own twisted way, made it clear that she'd made the right decision. The same terrifying vision came yet _again._ But this time, there was no explosion first. It was just Riyo's tormented voice, screaming her name over and over again.

 _"Ahsoka!"_

 _"Ahsoka!"_

The vision wasn't trying to trick her. Riyo was still in danger.

"STOP!" she screamed. She could deal with Fox- whatever he wanted with them, it couldn't be _that_ bad. She hadn't done anything wrong.

"Really?" Rosgrest said in disbelief. "After all this? You're just going to give up?"

 _"LAND!"_ she ordered as a newfound urgency came over her. She _had_ to get back to Riyo before it was too late.

"If you say so," Rosgrest said. "You're the customer." He eased off the repulsorlifts, and the freighter touched down.

"S _creaming Japnek,_ prepare to be boarded," Fox said. "Do not attempt to resist. We are authorized to use force." There was a _click,_ and the comm went silent.

Rosgrest threw down his headset. "Listen, I have some hidden smuggling compartments. They won't find us in-"

"You can hide," Ahsoka said. "I'm staying here."

Rosgrest stared at her as a _clunk_ signaled the lowering of the freighter's boarding ramp, and a few seconds later, the clacking of boots on the ground echoed through the ship. He hesitated, and then he spun around and dashed out of the cockpit.

Ahsoka shook her head. Not a moment later, a surprised yell came from around the corner, followed by a smack and a clone yelling. Then, silence, and then the sound of the boots on the ground resumed, drawing nearer. Seconds later, Fox and a clone burst into the cockpit, blasters drawn. Behind them, another clone held Rosgrest with his hands behind his back.

"Tano! Hands in the air where I can see them!" Fox barked.

Ahsoka complied, nervousness creeping into her at Fox's hostility. "What's going on?"

"Hands behind your head," Fox growled. "Hollands, scan her for weapons."

The other clone moved forward and ran a scanner over Ahsoka's body. "Negative, sir," he said after a glance at the scanner. "She's clear."

"Good," Fox said. "Move nice and slow out of the cockpit now, Tano," he said, backing up. "You're coming outside with us."

"Why?" Ahsoka asked again.

 _"Move,"_ Fox said, jerking his blaster.

Ahsoka had no choice but to obey as Fox walked her and Rosgrest out of the ship.

Once outside, Fox turned to another trooper. "Get me two sets of binders."

"What?" Ahsoka exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

Fox pulled off his helmet. "Ahsoka Tano, you're under arrest."

 _No. No. Not again._

A thousand images flashed through Ahsoka's head, none of them kind. She couldn't be back in Republic custody. She couldn't, she couldn't, she couldn't-

Her chest was tightening. She couldn't breathe.

 _A traitor to the Republic. The punishment is death._

"What… what am I being charged with?" she asked weakly.

"The Jedi Order forbid you from leaving Coruscant until further notice," Fox replied. "You violated that restriction when you tried to leave today."

 _WHAT?!_

Ahsoka she stared at Fox in utter astonishment. "They put me on _parole_ even though I _didn't_ do anything?"

"Any attempt by you to leave will be seen as an entitlement to take you into custody. Any persons consenting to bring you off the planet will also be taken into custody," Fox continued, ignoring her outburst.

"WHAT?! _"_

That was Rosgrest, staring at Fox in equal disbelief. Then he turned to Ahsoka with accusing eyes. "Lady, you never said that you were a _fugitive!_ That does it! Our agreement is over! I am dissociating from you!"

Quick as lightning, he elbowed the trooper behind him, sending him reeling, punched the other one, and reached for something on his belt. As Fox raised his gun, yelling angrily, a blinding flash and earsplitting screech rocked the belly of the gunship.

"GRENADE!" Fox bellowed, and Ahsoka instinctively dropped to the ground. She heard the sound of running feet, and when she looked up, Rosgrest was running back into his freighter and pulling in the boarding ramp. A few moments later, the heavily modified engines roared to life, and in the blink of an eye, the freighter was screaming into the sky.  
"TANO! Stay down!" Fox roared, leveling his pistols at her. "If you move a muscle, _I will shoot you!"_

He glanced at Rosgrest's freighter and barked an order into his comm. The four Z-95 Headhunters broke off and dashed away in pursuit of the freighter.

As Ahsoka stared up at the tiny, receding dot of the freighter, despair overtook her. Every belonging that she had to her name had just disappeared with that ship. The gift from Anakin, her datapad, her credits, and her treasured pictures. All gone. And perhaps her only chance to rejoin the war, or even escape Coruscant, was gone.

"You're coming with me, Tano," Fox said in a low, angry tone. "The Jedi want to talk to you _now."_

Ahsoka was still in shock. She was going back to prison and in trouble with the Order for absolutely _no reason._ They hadn't even _told_ her about the rule! How was she supposed to follow it if she didn't know about it?!

For the second time in a few weeks, she found herself thinking that nothing had ever been so unfair in her life.

And then, glancing back and forth between Fox and the two troopers, a desperate thought occurred to her. These were clones… they weren't immune to mind tricks…

She took a deep breath. She had never tried using a mind trick on more than one person at a time. Doing three at once would stretch her abilities to the limits.

"E-excuse me," she began, lacing as much Force power as possible into her voice.

Fox and the two troopers both turned to look at Ahsoka. She fought down a wave of excitement. It was working, so far.

"You will forget that I was trying to leave the planet," she said.

This one didn't go over as smoothly. The troopers nodded and repeated her command dutifully, but Fox frowned. "I…" he started, before scowling viciously. "Tano, you are _not-"_

"You _will_ forget that I was trying to leave the planet!" Ahsoka screamed out, pouring her anguish and her shock and her righteous anger into the Force with as much power as she could muster.

Fox's mouth snapped shut, and he mumbled, "I will forget that you were trying to leave the planet."

Ahsoka clapped her hands over her mouth. It had worked. Now she had to cover her tracks.

"You _will_ tell anyone who asks about this that it was a false alarm."

Fox nodded in a daze. "I will tell anyone who asks that this was a false alarm," he repeated dutifully.

Ahsoka relaxed. She'd done it. Her name was clear. But she still had to save Riyo. And that meant getting to her- Force knew how far away 500 Republica was-

"You _will_ give me that speeder bike," she said hurriedly, pointing at a small bike lying on the floor of the ship next to them.

Fox nodded dully. "All yours."

Ahsoka hopped onto the speeder and gave one last Force-laced order to him.

"You will _not_ follow me," she said.

"As you wish," Fox intoned robotically.

"Thank you." Ahsoka gunned the engine and shot away, and just like that, she was free again. She didn't dare to look over her shoulder.

As she blasted through the Freight District, the enormity of what she'd just done caught up to her. Using a mind trick on clones was an offense that would put her in jail and land her in real, dangerous trouble with the Order. But strangely, she didn't regret it. This situation was in _credibly_ unfair. All she did was even the field a little. The Jedi had absolutely no right to put rules around her like that and not warn her. She was so, so tired of them defining her life. Would she _ever_ be free from their grip?

But all those thoughts soon took a backseat to the most pressing matter- Riyo.

The Force was still whispering alarms in her head, and it was foolish to ignore it. Ahsoka could only hope that she wouldn't be too late to save Riyo.

She was in the Senate District now, and a new problem arose. She didn't have her security pass. It was on that _motherkriffer_ Rogrest's ship. Well, she just wouldn't stop for anything.

Hangar 1138. Jorys had said that Riyo was leaving in a half-hour. That had been… nearly a half-hour ago. Kriff.

She sped up, weaving through traffic. 500 Republica loomed on her right. She cut off a yellow speeder and broke out of the lane, making directly for the building. Without her security pass, she couldn't go _in_ the building, but she could go _on_ it…

She switched on the magnetic lifts and pulled up on the yoke, pushing the nose of the speeder upwards, and as she came right up to the side of the building, the maglevs kicked into action and found purchase on the durasteel walls. In this way, she began driving vertically up the side of the building. It was a little vertigo-inducing, but it worked.

 _Hangar 1138, hangar 1138,_ she thought frantically, searching the sides of the building as she roared along.

She didn't have time for guessing. After just managing to avoid a silver shuttle that was departing a hangar, she made a sharp left turn and screeched to a halt in one of the hangars, shocking the living daylights out of a worker sitting on a crate.

"Where's hangar 1138?" she yelled at him. Now this, by any stretch of the imagination, should not have worked. She had no credentials, she wasn't wearing any official gear, and she had just come blasting into the hangar in a pilfered speeder. But the worker was so caught off guard by her entrance that he answered honestly.

"This- this is 1140," he said haltingly. "1138 is that way-"

 _Yes._ She was close. "Thanks!" she hollered, throttling the speeder and rushing back out. Two sharp right turns later, she flew into-

An empty hangar. Her heart dropped. The only thing in there was a pair of Senate guards talking in the corner.

And then one of the guards jumped in surprise and took off her helmet, revealing a familiar human face. Jorys Solant.

"Tano?!" she yelled, running over. "What in the six Gods are you doing _here?!_ What happened? How?"

"No time!" Ahsoka said quickly. "Where's Riyo?"

 _"Senator Chuchi?!_ Are you kidding me?!" Jorys threw her hands up. "She left twenty seconds ago! She's in that ship flying away right there!" She pointed at the exact shuttle that Ahsoka had just dodged around a minute ago.

"Oh, _Force,"_ Ahsoka muttered, dismounting from the speeder.

"Would you mind telling me what you're doing here anyway?" Jorys asked.

"Riyo's in danger. I had another vision."

"Oh, for the love of-" Jorys pulled on her helmet and gestured at the other guard. "Edose, get security on the radio and call for a speeder. We've got some trouble!"

Edose spoke rapidly into his radio for a few seconds, and nodded. "They'll have a speeder here in five minutes," he said, running over.

"We don't have time," Ahsoka said. The Force was screaming in her head now. "I'm going to have to do this the hard way."

"Whatever it is, we're coming with you!" Jorys said. "Like you, we've still got a duty to protect the Senator as long as she's on Coruscant!"

"Take my hands," Ahsoka ordered.

"Okay," Jorys said immediately. She took one hand, and Edose shrugged and took the other. Ahsoka turned back to face the ship and concentrated.

Jorys spoke up. "Tano, I trust you, but I would really like to know what we- YAAAARRRRRGH!"

That scream was elicited when Ahsoka jumped into the air, performing the farthest and most powerful Force jump she'd ever attempted. It was a quarter of a mile, and if they missed, then it was a long way down. But Ahsoka trusted in the Force.

They sailed through the air, closing in on the shuttle.

"AAAAGHHHH-" _Thud._

Jorys's screaming was cut short when they landed hard on the top of the shuttle. Ahsoka tucked and rolled, coming to a stop, and used a Force-pull to stop Jorys and Edose from falling off the side.

Jorys sat up slowly, her eyes wide. "Never… never in my thirty-eight standard years have I ever done anything like that," she gasped, grinning crazily. "That was _unbelievable,_ Tano. Now what?"

Ahsoka got to her feet, looking around. Her eyes fell on an access hatch under her feet, and she bent down, inspecting it. A keypad built into the door signified that it wouldn't be easy to get in.

"Jorys, Edose, do you know the password for this?" she asked hopefully.

Jorys shrugged. "Nope. Sorry. Got any Jedi tricks for dealing with locks?"

"Well, actually, I could do this…" Ahsoka stood up, settling into a half-crouch as she put her hands around the handle. She would've preferred not to resort to brute-force methods, but she was ready to move mountains when Riyo's safety was concerned.

Summoning a wave of strength with the Force, she simply tore the outer door off in a screech of metal, revealing the sealed but unprotected airlock door beneath. Setting it gently aside, she began unlatching the airlock door.

Jorys's eyes bulged. "Holy kriff. Remind me never to get on your bad side, Tano," she muttered.

"Seconded," Edose added.

Ahsoka didn't crack a smile as she pulled open the door and entered the shuttle. The Force was pushing her forward with more urgency than ever. She had to find Riyo.

Fortunately, that was made easy when three Pantoran guards, all with blasters drawn, crept into the room she'd just entered, with Riyo trailing behind them, also armed. Riyo's mouth fell open as she saw Ahsoka.

"St-stand down," she said, calling back the guards, who were bemused enough that they'd already been holding their fire.

"What-" Riyo began, blinking hard and staring at them like she'd seen a ghost. Then, sweeping her eyes over Ahsoka's form again, she asked, "Ahsoka?"

Her voice was so full of hope that it made Ahsoka even more disgusted with herself for wanting to leave. She straightened, hoping that her face displayed just how sincerely she regretted leaving Riyo behind.

"Riyo," she said, savoring the feel of the name on her lips again. She wanted to proclaim the name to the galaxy, making it so that the two beautiful vowels reverberated through the ages forever- but right now, she could settle for saying it quietly. It was enough while Riyo was right in front of her.

"Yeah, hello, Senator. Nice to see you, too," Jorys said, coming in behind her with Edose. "There's a bit of an emergency going on, according to Tano-" She broke off and looked askance at Ahsoka. "Just _what_ was this vision that you had, anyway?"

Ahsoka barely heard Jorys's words. She was too busy staring at Riyo- who was _right there_ \- and taking in every inch of her appearance, from her flowing lavender hair to her flawless blue skin to her elegant figure to-

"TANO!" Jorys shouted. "Will you get your head out of the gutter?! You can ogle the Senator later, after she's out of danger!"

Ahsoka felt her face heat dramatically as she turned back to Jorys. "Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"The vision," Jorys prodded. "What was it?"

"Uh, you see…" Ahsoka folded and unfolded her hands. "I don't know… exactly."

Jorys looked about ready to explode, but Edose rescued Ahsoka by stepping in.

"I think I get it," he said. "Was it an ambiguous vision? A warning of something to come without saying what it was?"

"Yes, _exactly,"_ Ahsoka said, relieved. _"Thank_ you."

Jorys calmed down a little. "Okay. So we just need to be on our guard. That's easy enough." She turned to Riyo, who had been watching the exchange with utter mystification. "Senator, I apologize for the abrupt entrance, but there was a credible threat to your safety."

Riyo nodded, still looking lost. "I see… What do you plan to do now?"

"We're going to land," Jorys answered. "This ship isn't going anywhere else until it has a full CorSec escort."

Riyo blinked. "All right. You can notify the pilot."

"We'll do that." Jorys started forwards. "Edose, come with me."

As the two senate guards made a beeline for the cockpit, Riyo turned to Ahsoka.

"Why don't we go into the lounge?" she asked.

"Sure," Ahsoka said. "Whatever you want."

The ship's lounge was hardly basic, but it wasn't the picture of decadency, either. Riyo took a seat on a couch, and Ahsoka sat next to her. The guards stood against the wall and remained there in silence.

For a minute, neither of them spoke. Riyo had an expression of cautious wonder, as if she wanted to believe that it was Ahsoka right in front of her, but she was afraid that she might be snatched away from her again. Eye contact was almost too much to ask as Ahsoka tried to figure out just how to say to Riyo that she wanted to stay with her forever.

"Riyo, I-" she started at last. But then the entrance of Jorys and Edose interrupted her.

"We're turning back, Senator," Jorys said, taking a seat. "We're going back to the hangar. CorSec's going to sort this out, and you should have a full security escort in a jiffy."

"Good," Riyo said.

She turned to Ahsoka, and Ahsoka felt her heart speeding up.

"Ahsoka… Would you mind telling me… how you got here?"

"Yeah," Jorys said. "Tano, I would love to hear just how you found your way back here after I personally saw you leaving the planet on a decrepit freighter."

Ahsoka opened her mouth hesitantly. "Uh," she said. "Um." She wasn't exactly eager to repeat the story.

Suddenly, Edose jumped out of his seat, and Ahsoka was saved from having to answer in what was perhaps the worst well-timed interruption ever.

"That cargo speeder is coming towards us too fast," he said, pointing at the transparisteel window that covered one wall of the lounge.

Ahsoka turned around to see a black freighter flying directly at them. "That's going to hit us!" she said.

Jorys got up. "Senator, get to the cockpit right-"

The Force roared in warning.

"TAKE COVER!" Ahsoka yelled, grabbing Riyo and diving for the floor.

 _WHAM!_

A thunderous crunch ripped through the shuttle as the two crafts collided in midair, and the Pantoran cruiser listed violently to the right. A cloud of dust filled the room as the air roared around them.

Ahsoka was the first to recover. She leapt to her feet, dispelling the dust with a push of the Force, and pulled Riyo to her feet as well.

"You all right?" she asked, taking stock of the situation. The entire back wall of the lounge had been obliterated, replaced by the twisted wreckage of the other speeder, which had pierced the shuttle like a lightsaber. Wreckage was scattered all over. The guards… Oh _Force,_ the guards, they weren't even there anymore, just like the wall that they'd been standing against.

"I'm fine," Riyo said. "The guards- we- we can't help them. We have to get in the cockpit."

"Good thinking." Ahsoka turned around and thanked the Force when she saw Jorys and Edose back on their feet. "Into the cockpit!" she barked, throwing aside a fallen ceiling tile to clear their path.

However, the situation inside the cockpit wasn't any better. The Pantoran pilot was slumped down in his seat, and alarms were blaring all over. Ahsoka ran up to the controls, only pausing to confirm that the pilot was just unconscious, and grabbed the steering yoke.

"What's the situation?" Jorys said, running up to Ahsoka's side.

"Pilot was knocked out by the crash," Ahsoka replied, glancing at a row of warnings on the screen next to her. "Try to resuscitate him. Our thrusters are going, we're losing altitude, we're losing power to the repulsorlifts, and the fuel's going- we're going to start dropping like a rock if we don't land soon. I think I can get us down in one piece, though."

 _POW!_

An explosion rocked the entire ship, shaking the four people in the cockpit like pinballs, and an enormous screech of twisting metal came from behind them, as they were pitched forward violently, pointing the nose almost directly at the ground.

Ahsoka wrestled furiously with the controls and barely managed to put the shuttle at a less alarming angle to the ground. "What was _that?!"_

"That speeder must've been rigged to explode!" Edose yelled. "It sounds the whole tail section fell off!"

Ahsoka raked her eyes over the new barrage of warnings. "Repulsorlifts are dying! I've got no power!"

Jorys slammed her hand on the dashboard. "We're crashing!"

KRIFF. Ahsoka pulled the control yoke as far back as it went, praying to the Force that there was some system in the ship that would respond and arrest their descent.

Nothing happened. The ground, two miles below them, was rushing towards them too fast, and they had no thrusters, no repulsorlifts, no fuel- nothing.

"We're out of options!" Jorys shouted.

A ridiculous, unattainable, and completely insane idea occurred to Ahsoka. But this was a day filled with things that fit that description. "I'm going to try to land this with the Force!"

"Might as well try!" said Jorys. "We're dying anyway!"

Ahsoka let go of the now-useless controls and closed her eyes, sending out a silent query to the Force.

 _I've never needed you more than right now. Please don't disappoint me._

An answer floated back in her thoughts: _You can only disappoint yourself._

Ahsoka gritted her teeth and concentrated. Almost imperceptibly, their descent slowed.

"I think it's working," Edose said. "You've got this."

Ahsoka ignored it and increased her concentration. This wasn't about landing comfortably. This was about landing with them all alive.

"Come on, Tano," Jorys muttered. Their descent slowed further.

The distance to the ground had already been halved, and they were still falling too fast. A drop of sweat rolled down Ahsoka's forehead as she pushed even harder.

"You can do this, Ahsoka," Riyo whispered, speaking for the first time since entering the cockpit. "I know you can."

"Hold on," Ahsoka muttered. The ship was decelerating too slowly as she struggled. Her entire body was aching from the effort. She didn't know how much longer she could keep it up.

She squeezed her eyes shut and let the Force flow through her straining muscles in a bid to stem her exhaustion. It wasn't enough. She was slipping.

Her concentration wavered, and the ship juddered. Sharp pains were lancing throughout her entire body now as she took ragged breaths. They were too far away from the ground… But it felt like wild akuls were tearing into every part of her body, and even trying to suck in a lungful of air was too steep of a task. With sweat pouring down her face, she opened her eyes and looked up at Riyo's worried expression.

"I'm sorry," Ahsoka gasped, and she collapsed. The ship dropped like a rock.

It wouldn't be a safe landing. Ahsoka summoned the last of her energy to form a protective shield around Riyo, Jorys, Edose, and the unconscious pilot as they plummeted to the ground. She couldn't see where they were going to hit- she could only hope that they would end up on safe ground.

There was a half-second where nothing happened and they were utterly weightless, and then suddenly, it was as if a _Venator-_ class Republic cruiser was crashing onto Ahsoka's back, and she was tossed into the air and slammed down back into the ground in a cacophony of crashing metal as pain exploded all over her body.

Then, miraculously, it was over. Silence filled the cockpit.

After a few drawn-out seconds, Ahsoka tried to move. The slightest movement of her legs was agonizing, but she managed to raise her head. The sight that greeted her wasn't pretty. Jorys and Edose were in motionless heaps on the floor (thankfully, she sensed immediately that they were alive), and Riyo was flat on her back, stirring only slightly.

Riyo let out a moan, and then she whispered, _"Ahsoka."_

Ahsoka's blood ran cold at the sound. The voice sounded just like it did in her vision- helpless, hurt, and begging.

She pulled herself up onto her elbows and resolutely began dragging herself forward, ignoring the excruciating pain in her lower body until she was at Riyo's side.

"Riyo," Ahsoka said, brushing her fingers across the Pantoran's bloodied face. "I'm right here."

Riyo's eyes fluttered open, and she turned her head. "Ahsoka," she gasped reverently. "You came back."

"I came back for you," Ahsoka said, even as darkness encroached on the corners of her vision. "Now I'm not leaving you again."

And finally, having made her feelings plain, she surrendered to the darkness.

* * *

When Ahsoka opened her eyes again, she was in a hospital bed with a bevy of machines around her, a medical droid hovering by her side, and her legs swathed in bandages.

"Where am I?" she asked.

The medical droid looked up. "Greetings, Patient: Ahsoka Tano. You are in the Chancellor Palpatine Surgical Reconstruction Center," it announced blandly. "Are you in any pain?"

"Yeah."

"That is to be expected. You have fourteen separate bone fractures and numerous instances of soft tissue damage in both legs. Your right hip is dislocated and also has a bone fracture. A fragment of your right hip punctured your-"

"Stop," Ahsoka said, raising her hand. "I don't want to hear anymore."

"Are you suffering any emotional distress?" the droid asked. "I am authorized to call for a psychologist or administer sedatives."

"I'll tell you what would solve a lot of my emotional distress- can you tell me where Riyo Chuchi is?"

"I am attending to Patient: Riyo Chuchi in the adjacent berth," the droid said.

Ahsoka glanced over at the next bunk. Riyo was indeed there, lying on her side with her back to Ahsoka.

"Patient: Riyo Chuchi currently has-"

"Don't bother." Ahsoka stopped the droid before it could go into graphic detail about Riyo's injuries. "Just tell me if she's going to live."

"Patient: Riyo Chuchi is expected to recover," the droid answered. "She will receive bacta treatment soon, as will you. However, your treatment has been delayed."

"Delayed?" Ahsoka furrowed her brow. "What for?"

"A visitor with security clearance: _Sentinel-_ class has requested to speak with you."

Ahsoka sucked in a breath. _Sentinel-_ class clearance was for Jedi.

"Send in the visitor, please," she said.

"I will notify the visitor," the droid said. "Call for help if you experience a medical emergency." With that, it scooted out of the room, leaving Ahsoka alone with Riyo.

As soon as the droid left the room, Riyo rolled over and sat up in her bed. She had one arm in a sling. "Hey."

"Hey," Ahsoka said, cracking a smile. "So how badly are you hurt?"

Riyo waved her uninjured hand. "Oh, probably better off than you. All I did was break my arm in two places, fracture a few of my ribs, and get concussion."

Ahsoka's heart skipped a beat. "A concussion?!"

"Don't worry, it's minor. The droid said so itself, but it was still quite fussy about it- kept wanting me to lie down and rest, so I had to pretend I was asleep."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ahsoka asked.

"Well, I am injured," Riyo said dryly. "But-" she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up- "-I can walk, so I feel pretty decent." She walked over to Ahsoka's bed and sat down next to her. "So. I wanted to talk."

Ahsoka resisted the urge to panic. She knew exactly what was coming. But even so, she let Riyo make the first move. "About what?"

"About the kiss," said Riyo. She gazed at Ahsoka. "Did- did you mean it? Do you really feel the same way that I do?"

"I- I think so," Ahsoka said. At the worried look on Riyo's face, she hastened on. "In the Jedi Order, attachments are forbidden. That includes love. So- I never was actually sure what love was like, since no one ever bothered to explain it to me."

"Oh," Riyo said in a voice full of intense sympathy. _"Oh."_

"But… I think you're helping me discover what love is," Ahsoka said. "Because I think I feel the same way as you do, and I think that's love." She took Riyo's uninjured hand and rubbed her thumb over the smooth fingers. "And I want to feel so much more of it with you."

Riyo beamed at Ahsoka. "So this is real?"

Ahsoka smiled. "It's real, if you want it to be. We're together now?"

"We're together," Riyo said.

They were silent for a few moments. Ahsoka couldn't think of anything to say as the moment overwhelmed her. This was real. This was happening. She and Riyo Chuchi were _together._

Finally, she tugged on Riyo's arm. "You know… I don't think our first kiss was nearly long enough."

"Oh, definitely." Riyo leaned down. "Let's make this one a _lot_ better," she said, and they kissed.

The desperation of their first kiss was gone, replaced by exhilaration, and the knowledge that they had all the time in the world now. As Ahsoka wrapped her arms around Riyo, she found herself thinking about the Jedi Order. This was a direct slight against them, and if they found out about this, then there would be no way she would ever be allowed back into the Order.

It was wonderful.

Any uncertainty between them was brushed away as the kiss deepened. Riyo made a moaning noise deep in her throat and shifted, gripping Ahsoka's shoulders as Ahsoka ran a hand up and down her back. She wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else in the galaxy at that moment.

Suddenly, she heard a door slide open, and then a familiar voice exclaimed, "Whoa!"

They broke apart in surprise, and Ahsoka looked over to see Anakin Skywalker standing in the doorway with a look of complete and utter shock.

"Visitor: Anakin Skywalker admitted to see Patient: Ahsoka Tano," the medical droid announced blandly, sliding around Anakin to enter the room.

"Anakin!" Ahsoka cried, dropping her arms from Riyo's back as they scrambled back into their beds. "Uh, hi! What brings you here?"

"Am I interrupting something?" Anakin asked, taking a step back. "Because if I am, I can definitely come back later-"

"No, no. Stay, please," Ahsoka said, hurriedly adjusting her disheveled head-tails. She was ecstatic to see him here in one piece.

Anakin stepped back into the room. "If you say so." He looked around for a chair, and failing to see one, sat down on the edge of Ahsoka's bed. "It's been a while. I missed you."

"Same," Ahsoka said. She took a moment to take in his appearance. His hair was longer, and he looked a little bit more battle-worn, but otherwise his swaggering air was unchanged. But his Force-presence was changed- it felt more jovial, and she could detect the slightest hint of… pride? "I'd give you a hug, but that would require sitting up, which is kinda hard to do right now…" She gestured at her legs.

"Don't worry about it." Anakin scratched the back of his neck. "So, you and the Senator, huh?"

"Yes," Ahsoka answered. Riyo flushed a dark indigo, but she watched Anakin steadily.

"How long has it been going on?" Anakin asked.

"Officially? Less than a minute," Ahsoka said. "But I think it was a long time in the making."

"Okay. I've only got one thing to say." Anakin turned to Riyo. "Listen, Senator Chuchi," he began. "Just because Ahsoka left the Jedi doesn't mean that I'm not responsible for her anymore. If you hurt her in any way, then I will hunt you down and make sure that you pay for it."

Riyo nodded, unfazed. "I'll never hurt Ahsoka, Master Skywalker. You can be sure of that."

"Good."

Ahsoka stared at him. "You're okay with me doing this?"

Anakin shrugged. "Why not? I always thought that the thing about no attachments was stupid. Besides, you're not a Jedi anymore. You can do whatever-" He faltered. "-whatever you want."

"Yeah… about that…" Ahsoka muttered. "Not exactly."

Anakin started. "So you _did_ try to leave Coruscant?"

"How did you know that?"

A pained look came over Anakin's face. "It's… it's bad, Ahsoka. I don't know if you should hear this."

"Tell me," Ahsoka said insistently, sitting up and ignoring the pain that shot through her hips.

Anakin closed his eyes. "You aren't going to like it."

 _"Tell me,"_ Ahsoka repeated.

Finally, Anakin relented. "Well… you know that the Jedi Order prevented you from leaving Coruscant."

Ahsoka scowled. "Don't remind me."

"It's worse. They knew when you were going to leave Coruscant, because they've been following your every move for the last five weeks. Everywhere you went, everyone you spoke with, your datapad, your bank account, your comm- all of it was tracked by the Jedi."

Ahsoka's eyes widened.

"Do you know who the two Jedi that were following you were?" Anakin asked bitterly. "One of them was someone who had been close to you- so that if you caught him, then he could pretend to be checking on you."

No. No. They wouldn't be that deceitful. No way.

"It was Plo Koon and his padawan," Anakin said. "They've been tailing you for the last five weeks."

It was like all the air had been sucked out of Ahsoka's lungs suddenly. She had _trusted_ Plo. He'd been one of only three Jedi that she still trusted. Now that number was down to two.

Suddenly, she thought back to an incident from several weeks ago, right after meeting Rosgrest, when she had chased that mysterious spy. That spy was Daileer Nosk- Plo's padawan. _That_ was why Nosk's voice had sounded oddly familiar when Plo visited her a couple of weeks ago. And Plo must have been driving the speeder that Nosk jumped into.

And Master Koon's visit to her hadn't been a visit of charity. Tebathia had made the complaint with the Jedi, and he went just to assess the situation in person- he hadn't been concerned for her well-being at all.

"I cannot believe," she began slowly, "their _nerve,_ their _idiocy,_ their _perfidy-_ WHY?!" she abruptly screamed. "Why are they doing this?!" she lamented, looking at Anakin pleadingly.

Anakin's visage was stormy. "I'll tell you why. They think that you're going to be the next Barriss Offee."

At the mere mention of the Mirialan's name and the understanding that she was still being compared in the same breath to a convicted terrorist with sociopathic tendencies, _rage_ erupted in Ahsoka. Pure, burning, righteous, unadulterated _rage._

 _"Don't say her name,"_ she hissed.

The Order was a mass of deceit and shortsightedness and _lies,_ and she did not deserve any of this. Here she was, hounded and scrutinized and bound by them even though she had renounced them.

"I _never_ want _anything_ to do with them ever again," she growled. "I am _not_ like Barriss, and I never will be. Those motherkriffers-" She balled her hands into fists- "They _cannot_ do this!"

"Ahsoka," Anakin said uneasily.

Ahsoka looked up sharply. "What?!"

"You're- you're-" He pointed at the windows, and for the first time, Ahsoka noticed that her anger had leaked into the Force. A spiderweb of cracks ran across the tranparisteel, and the light fixtures above them had suffered the same damage.

"I…" She trailed off, staring in horror at the havoc she'd wreaked, all of her rage forgotten. "I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"You don't need to be sorry, Ahsoka," Riyo said. "I would be just as angry if I were in your position."

Ahsoka gaped at Riyo. "Do you remember the last time I got this mad? It wasn't pretty. I need to-"

Riyo stopped her from speaking further with a kiss. After a few seconds, she broke away and whispered, "That kiss says that it's normal to be angry."

Anakin nodded in unsure assent. "Er- right," he said. "Listen, Ahsoka, Senator Chuchi is right. I'm mad about this, too. I talked about it with the Chancellor and he didn't like it, either."

Ahsoka held up her hand. "Wait. You mentioned this to the _Chancellor?"_

"Yeah," Anakin said. "I met with him earlier today. He was very understanding- said that he would see if he could reason with the Council. Said it was unlikely, though- they're too obstinate."

Gratitude filled Ahsoka. "You didn't have to do that. I would've just found a way to sneak off the planet."

Anakin patted something in his pocket, as if to make sure something was still there. "Actually, about that… It reminds me of the other reason why I wanted to talk to you." He leaned forward. "You were trying to get back into the war, weren't you? The Council thought that you were going to leave the planet earlier today, and they sent Fox to detain you. But he called back and said that it was a false alarm. That should've been the end of it. But the Council's suspicious. They want to talk to you."

Ahsoka's throat tightened. "Talk… to me?"

"I'm not sure why, but that's not happening on my watch," Anakin said. "I'm going to get you off this planet as soon as possible, legally or otherwise. The Jedi won't touch you." He reached into his pocket and handed Ahsoka a datachip. "The Chancellor gave me a mission. I want you to undertake it for me."

Ahsoka took the datachip. "What's the mission?"

"There are stirrings of a Separatist rebellion on Corellia. Arms shipments being stolen, shipbuilding facilities sabotaged, things like that."

"So you want me to go figure out whoever's doing it and put it to a stop?"

"Yep. This datachip has all of the intel that the Chancellor gathered for the job. He specifically asked me to do this mission, but I'm passing it on to you. I know you can do it."

Ahsoka turned the datachip over in her hands. "I don't know… How am I going to get to Corellia?"

Riyo coughed loudly. "Perhaps I may be of assistance. I am a senator, after all. I'm sure that I could convince the Pantoran Navy to lend us a ship."

 _Us?_

Ahsoka turned in surprise. "Riyo, you want to be on this mission, too?"

"Are you kidding me?" Riyo smirked. "Espionage is right up my alley. I can provide transportation, weapons, supplies, cover stories- anything we need."

"But this would be dangerous… Are you sure?"

"Dangerous?" Riyo scoffed. "Ahsoka, we snuck on board a Trade Federation capital ship once, and you're telling me that going to Corellia, a Republic stronghold, is dangerous?"

"Well-"

"If you're going on this mission, I'm coming with you," Riyo said firmly. "And that's final."

"All right," Ahsoka relented. She looked back up at Anakin. "Are you sure about this, Skyguy? If the Chancellor wanted _you_ to do this-"

"Don't worry about it. You're just as capable as I am." He stood up. "I need to go, but you should take this on. You wanted to get back into the war, after all."

He started for the door, but then, halfway there; he stopped and turned around with a small smile on his face. "I'm proud of you, Ahsoka."

And with that, he was gone.

Riyo didn't waste any time. "Do you want to do the mission?" she asked immediately

"Definitely," said Ahsoka. "I'm just worried about you, though."

Riyo shook her head. "You don't have to worry about me. I can fend for myself. "

Ahsoka thought of the bull's-eye that Riyo had shot between the statue's eyes, and she relaxed. "Okay. So, I guess once we're all healed up, we'll go?"

Riyo nodded. "You know," she said thoughtfully, "I don't think two people is enough for this mission. We'll need some help."

"Were you thinking of someone?"

"I've got two more people in mind. You can guess who they are."

Ahsoka thought for a moment before it hit her. "Jorys and Edose?" She nodded. "Good idea. I trust them."

"Yes. If they agree, then we'll be all set to leave. We'll make a stop on Pantora for supplies first, and then it'll be on to Corellia."

Ahsoka gently pulled Riyo down for another kiss. "I can't wait."

 **A/N: So there's the end of Act 1! Now you know where the next act of the story will take place. Chapter 14 will be out in a week.**

 **Holy heck. I cannot believe how long this chapter got. Nearly ten thousand words. That alone is more than chapters 4, 7, and 9 combined. And now this story has been pushed over fifty thousand words. That's all for now. Please leave a review! If you already did, then don't forget to claim your free 500-word Star Wars fic from me. Thank you. Air Force Muffin out.**


	14. Chapter 14: The Pantoran Interlude

**Chapter 14: The Pantoran Interlude**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **A/N: I finally got a beta for this story, so the quality of my writing should improve. Here's a huge shout-out to HundredSunsets on AO3 for helping me. Check out her writing. She's writing a Riyosoka fic too, and it's amazing. It's called "Sixty-Six." You should read it if you like this.**

 **After the last chapter, this chapter might feel a lot more low-stakes, but bear with me here. Corellia is where the action's at, and we'll come to that planet in the next chapter. This is a transition chapter, really. It's a chance to breathe, for Ahsoka, Riyo, me, and all of you that are reading this. If you prefer action, then that's coming soon. I shouldn't take more than a week and a half to write it.**

 **Here's a quick preview of what's to come on Corellia. (This list is not in chronological order. If it were, that would be interesting, to say the least):**

 **Explosions  
Ahsoka jumps over a table to take somebody fucking DOWN  
Hand-to-hand fights  
Someone gets shot  
Sheev Palpatine does Sheevy things  
A new character gets introduced  
A Jedi shows up and GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY EVERYTHING'S GONE TO SH*T  
Gunfights**

Ahsoka's week in a bacta tank passed by much more quickly than she would've expected. She was lowered into the tank, the sedative was injected, and after what only felt like a few minutes of unconsciousness, she was being pulled out, completely healed and pain-free. Riyo was fully healed, too, and Anakin was long gone, having left to lead the campaign to retake Mygeeto, Felucia, and Saleucami.

To their disappointment, Coruscant Security had no idea who was behind the second attempt on Riyo's life. Ahsoka had her suspicions about Tebathia, but there was absolutely no way to prove it.

Getting Jorys and Edose on board with the mission was surprisingly easy. Upon proposing the job to her, Jorys thought about it for approximately three seconds before saying, "I'm in. I need a vacation anyway," and Edose simply agreed to go because Jorys was going.

Now they could finally leave Coruscant, but that would prove to be a little harder.

"Do you really think we can do this?" Riyo asked.

"I don't know. But I trust Anakin."

Ahsoka and Riyo were high over the surface of Coruscant in a Pantoran shuttle, with the jump to hyperspace just minutes away.

Riyo's datapad laid on the table in front of them with a dismal message on its screen.

It read:

 _Status of AHSOKA TANO: Blocked from departing Coruscant until further notice._

Even after the supposed lobbying of Anakin and the Chancellor, the answer wasn't what they hoped for.

But in Ahsoka's datapad was a message from Anakin, received that morning, which changed everything:

 _Hey Snips,_

 _I can't believe that the Jedi didn't lift your parole. But I thought they might do something like that, so I left a contingency plan on Coruscant. Even if you're still blocked from leaving Coruscant, I want you to leave anyway. CorSec will stop you. Let them stop you and follow all their orders. I've got this all planned out. Don't worry. The Jedi can't touch you as long as I'm alive._

Neither Riyo nor Ahsoka could guess at what Anakin had planned.

"It's illegal for you to be on this ship right now," Riyo said. "I'm not sure how I should feel about that."

Ahsoka desperately wanted to be free, and she was _so_ close right now. But even with Anakin's reassurances, she didn't want to make Riyo uncomfortable. "Should we just call it off?" she asked. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

Riyo sighed. "I don't know. I trust Master Skywalker, but…"

Suddenly, the intercom came to life with the pilot's voice. "Senator Chuchi, I have Coruscant Security on the line. They want to speak to you."

Anxiety rose up in Ahsoka as Riyo blinked in surprise. "Patch me through, please."

There was a _click_ , and then Commander Fox's voice came through the intercom, and Ahsoka felt a sudden instinctive urge to run for her life.

 _"_ _Pantoran Star,_ we have it in our records that you are scheduled to depart for Pantora."

"That's correct," Riyo said stiffly. She gave Ahsoka a look that clearly said there was no turning back now.

"We'll need your codes, please."

"Of course." Riyo read out a series of codes through the intercom.

After a brief pause, Fox said, " _Pantoran Star,_ please stand by." Following this was an even longer silence, during which Ahsoka had to forcibly remind herself to breathe.

"All right. Please order your pilot to stop the shuttle. We are going to conduct a randomly selected search of your ship, and if nothing is out of order, you will be free to go on your way. A Jedi Knight will be arriving to help conduct the search."

"O-of course," Riyo said, before turning off the intercom.

"Random search. That's bantha poodoo," Ahsoka muttered. "They're looking for me." A Jedi. Anakin couldn't possibly have planned for a way to stop this. No Jedi in the Order would let Ahsoka pass.

"I don't think Anakin planned for this," she muttered. "This might be the end of it."

"I won't let you be taken!" Riyo said fiercely. "You can hide. If you can use the Force to prevent them from seeing you-"

Ahsoka shook her head in despair. "I can't do it. If it was just clones doing the search, I could mind-trick them, but you heard them say that they're sending up a Jedi Knight. I can't fool a Jedi Knight. Whoever it is, they'll find me for sure. And now you're going to be in trouble with them, too. It's all my fault."

The hum of the engines ceased as the shuttle came to a stop. Riyo gripped Ahsoka's shoulders. "Listen. None of this is your fault. Blame the Jedi- blame the Republic- just don't blame yourself for this mess. If the Jedi try to incarcerate you, I promise that I'll do everything I can to try and free you."

A gunship drew alongside the shuttle before Ahsoka could respond, and with resignation, she looked out the viewport at her arrestors. And then she squinted in shock. _What the…_

"Do you see that?" Riyo asked wonderingly.

"Yup."

Painted on the side of the gunship was a mural of _her_ , leaning against a pile of disemboweled battle droids, surrounded by text that read, "SHE'S OUR COMMANDER."

"Who…?" she began. But she already knew that only one legion in the galaxy would do this. The 501st Legion was here.

As the boarding ramp lowered from the gunship and a detachment of clones filed out, Ahsoka looked for the unknown Jedi Knight. But, oddly, it was nowhere to be seen. The only things entering the shuttle were the orange-helmeted troopers.

Wait. _Orange-_ helmeted?

When the clones entered a few seconds later, she was in for a shock. The 501st clones had apparently switched their blue-highlighted armor out for armor with orange highlights that happened to be the exact same shade as her skin, and painted on their helmets was the unmistakable pattern of _her facial markings._

One of them stepped forward and spoke in an extremely familiar voice. "Good to see you again, Commander."

"Rex?" Ahsoka asked in disbelief.

The clone pulled off his helmet, revealing the battle-hardened face of her friend. "In the flesh."

"But- how?! Anakin's on Felucia…"

"The general left a couple of us here to help you out," Rex said. "He told us something like this might happen, and he wanted us to cover for you."

"But where's the Jedi that was supposed to be with you?"

"General Mundi is in the other ship, which is having a bit of… engine _trouble."_ Rex held up a dynamo. "It's pretty hard for that ship to get very far off the ground when it's missing a vital piece of its engine. So we're here alone."

Ahsoka was still so stunned by Rex's appearance that she had almost forgotten what they were here for, but Rex brought them back to the situation at hand when he turned to Riyo and held out a hand. "Pleased to meet you, Senator Chuchi. The Commander used to talk about you quite a bit. If you'll excuse us, we do have a search of the ship to conduct."

"Go right ahead," Riyo said, a smile slowly blossoming over her face.

"All right." Rex glanced around the cabin in a perfunctory manner. "You know, fellows," he said to the other troopers, "I don't see Ahsoka anywhere in here. Do you see her anywhere in here?"

"No, sir," the other clones chorused.

"Well then, it sure would be unfair to say she was on board this ship."

The clones nodded in assent. "Yes, sir."

Ahsoka watched the exchange with an open mouth, and for only about the millionth time in her life, she thanked Anakin for going against the Jedi Code and getting attached to her. Nobody else in the Order would have come to her rescue like this.

"It's settled, then," Rex said. "We didn't see Ahsoka Tano leaving Coruscant on Senator Chuchi's ship. Let's disembark."

The clones filed out of the room, and Rex turned to go, but Ahsoka caught his arm.

"Rex, I can't thank you enough for this," she said breathlessly. "You're going against the Jedi just to help me."

Rex shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm just following my general's orders."

Ahsoka squeezed Rex's arm. "Tell Anakin that I said thank you."

"I will."

"One more thing." Ahsoka touched the orange highlight on Rex's shoulder plate. "Your armor- their armor- how much of the legion is like this?"

Rex grinned. "Everyone is, sir. Even the shinies. You might've left, but this is still your legion. Don't forget that." He saluted. "Good luck, sir." And with that, he put his helmet back on and was gone, jogging back out to the gunship. A minute later, a transmission crackled through from Fox.

 _"_ _Pantoran Star,_ you're cleared to depart the planet."

Riyo looked at Ahsoka. "Should we…?"

 _"_ _Yes,"_ Ahsoka said emphatically. "Let's do it."

"I won't disagree." Riyo sent a signal to the pilot, and moments later, the shuttle started moving again. Slowly, the bright blue sky faded into the blackness of space.

Riyo glanced at her wrist chrono. "Hyperspace in three…two…one…"

The bright stars dotting the blackness around them elongated into brilliant streaks smeared across the sky, and with a whine, the shuttle jumped into hyperspace as the streaks twisted into a whirling blue tunnel. Riyo took Ahsoka's hand as they made the jump.

"I'm free," Ahsoka whispered.

They stood in silence for several minutes, holding hands and watching the dancing blue lights. Finally, Riyo spoke.

"Ahsoka?" she said quietly. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Go ahead," Ahsoka said, wrapping her arm around Riyo's shoulders. "What's up?"

"So… you know how I'm Force-sensitive… and you're Force-sensitive…"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if you could maybe… show me how to use the Force?"

"Uh, well…"

"You don't have to show me very much. I'd be satisfied with anything you could teach me."

Ahsoka _had_ been the one who discovered Riyo's Force-sensitivity. It kind of fell to her to help Riyo. Maybe before she would've suggested going to the Jedi for help, but they had wounded her enough. She would have a hard time ever seeing them as helpful again. And now, with the relief of _finally_ being free of their clutches, how could she pass up an opportunity to fly in their faces? The Jedi had balked at a seasoned master training Anakin when he was nine standard years old. Ahsoka tried to imagine what they would think of her, a failed Padawan, training a senator who was double the age that Anakin had been when he was found. That might be enough to warrant expulsion from the Order on its own.

"Of course," Ahsoka said. "I don't know if I can help you much, but I'll definitely try."

Riyo nodded. "That's all I could ask for. Thank you."

They fell back into silence, watching the ethereal dimension outside.

"Hyperspace is beautiful, isn't it?" Riyo asked.

Ahsoka saw the opportunity, and she snatched it like there was no tomorrow. "Not as beautiful as you."

Riyo laughed- a high, crisp sound that made Ahsoka's heart do backflips- and turned to face Ahsoka, putting her arm around her neck. "I love you," she said.

And after a moment, in which Ahsoka couldn't think of a reason _not_ to say it, and found a million reasons to say it, she replied with, "I love you, too," and leaned in.

Hyperspace was also a beautiful backdrop for a kiss, as they soon found out.

* * *

Their landing in Midrian, the capital city of Pantora, was uneventful. They landed next to the Pantoran Assembly Building, and as soon as the four of them were out of the ship, a procession of guards escorted them inside, where Chairman Papanoida was waiting to greet them.

"Senator Chuchi," Papanoida said, spreading his arms in greeting. "I thanked the Gods for their kindness when I heard that you had survived the second assassination attempt. Have you recovered fully?"

"Completely," Riyo replied, shaking Papanoida's hand. "I may not have survived if it weren't for the efforts of these three people- Jorys Solant, Edose Bauon, and Ahsoka Tano."

"Oh, yes." Papanoida turned to Jorys and Edose and shook their hands earnestly. "You are the two Senate Guards who put their lives on the line to save Senator Chuchi. Pantora is indebted to you for your bravery."

"It was just our duty," said Jorys. "Don't think anything of it."

"Nonetheless, you must accept our thanks." With that, Papanoida moved to Ahsoka. "Ahsoka Tano," he said, his tone approaching reverence. "We are already familiar with you, for what you did in helping to liberate our planet from the Trade Federation years ago. Now, you have done a deed that is just as honorable- saving the life of our hallowed Senator." He bowed. "Thank you."

"Don't think anything of it," Ahsoka said. "Um- has anyone been told that I'm here?"

"That reminds me," Riyo said, before Papanoida could reply. "Chairman, Ahsoka's presence here needs to be kept as confidential as possible. It's imperative that word doesn't get out that she's here."

"Of course," Papanoida said. "I'll see to it. How long will she be staying here?"

 _"_ _We_ won't be staying for more than a couple days."

"We?" Papanoida repeated. "Do you plan to travel somewhere?"

Riyo glanced around at the busy hangar. "Perhaps we can talk more comfortably in my office."

"Of course," Papanoida said. "Although, if you wouldn't mind stopping by the Assembly chamber first- they're expecting you there."

"But of course. I would hate to let them down." Riyo laid a hand on Ahsoka's arm and moved forward.

After a long walk through the building, they came to a massive set of wooden doors. They hadn't stood in front of them for more than a moment when they swung open of their own accord, revealing a large rotunda filled with hundreds of Pantorans. They seemed to have been waiting Riyo's arrival, as they broke into tremendous applause when she entered.

Riyo sent smiles and nods in all directions, and let go of Ahsoka to venture into the center of the rotunda. Her entire demeanor seemed to undergo a metamorphosis, both visually and through the Force, and suddenly, she was walking with the air of a queen presiding over her court as she stepped up to the podium. An effortless wave brought instant silence, and Ahsoka began to see just how much sway Riyo held over her people.

"Esteemed members of the Assembly," Riyo began. "I ask only for a minute of your time. Words cannot express the gratitude I have for your unflagging support of me time and time again. This has never been more apparent than in the last month and a half, when our great galactic government faced unspeakable challenges. When I stood against the Sector Governance Bill, everyone in here stood with me. For that, I am eternally grateful to you all. Now, after two desperate and unsuccessful assassination attempts, I have returned home, unharmed and ready to be welcomed with open arms. I am thankful to be back in the house of Pantora's government. Thank you."

The Assembly, which had hung on Riyo's every word in rapturous silence, exploded into enthusiastic applause. Riyo stepped down, beaming, and came back over to Ahsoka.

"It's good to be back home," she said.

* * *

Upon entering Riyo's 'office' (a dubious title, since it was bigger than her entire suite on Coruscant-'department' would have been a better description), Riyo excused herself for a moment to talk to Papanoida, and urged Ahsoka, Jorys, and Edose to make themselves at home.

Jorys, having helped herself to the office's minibar, sat down next to Ahsoka and Edose with a glass of ice water in her hand.

Edose glanced over at Jorys. "I see you still don't drink," he said with some amusement.

Jorys reddened slightly. "You know what happened the last time I drank- remember? It was a few ounces of some strong Corellian ale, and suddenly I was-" She broke off and winced. "Yup. Never again."

"What happened?" Ahsoka asked.

"Sorry, but I try not to talk about it," Jorys said quickly. "It may or may not have ended up on the HoloNet News. It was embarrassing." She jerked her head at Edose and changed the subject. "Now- Edose, this won't happen to him. He's a lucky kriffer- he doesn't get drunk as easily because his Pau'an anatomy makes his alcohol metabolism much faster. You'd think he would take advantage of that, but because of his prim-and-proper _values_ -" she had raised her voice slightly- was that jealousy? "-he doesn't drink. Says it's bad form." She snorted. "I'll tell you, what's bad form is the stick up his-"

"Shall I tell Ahsoka about what exactly you were doing after that bottle of Corellian ale?" Edose interjected, casting a meaningful look at Jorys.

Jorys reddened and fell silent. After taking a sip of water, she added, "Nothing wrong with staying hydrated."

At that moment, Riyo re-entered the room. "All right. We should go over our mission again," she said, sitting down next to Ahsoka. "The information the Chancellor gave us is pretty sparse, but we've got some concrete leads to investigate."

"Let's hear it," said Jorys, leaning forward.

Riyo turned on her datapad. "So, our suspect is Xuton Guel, who owns several arms warehouses in Coronet City, the capital of Corellia. There have been at least eighteen robberies from his warehouses over the past year."

Edose whistled. "Eighteen?" "That's pretty serious."

"Three months ago, a Separatist supply ship carrying missiles was captured, and the missiles were traced back to the stolen goods from Corellia, proving that the weapons are getting to the Confederacy somehow. Interestingly, Guel's warehouses are the only ones being robbed."

"What does he look like?" Ahsoka asked.

"I'm not sure. His file lists him as being an Iktotchi, but I can't find any pictures of him." Riyo tapped the datapad. "But it shouldn't be too hard to find him. He's known to frequent a less than reputable podracing track in the city, and he's also been seen multiple times in the Shili Quarter-" She glanced up at Ahsoka- "-a part of the city in which ninety percent of the population are Togruta."

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow. "That's… odd. I could probably follow him there with no problem."

"So what do we do?" Edose asked. "Capture him?"

"The datachip says our mission is to find out how Guel is sending weapons to the Separatists and take him and any Separatist connections into custody."

Jorys nodded. "This should be an interesting mission. How long will we be on Pantora?"

"Just two days," Riyo said. "I need to make some arrangements before we leave. We're going to need fake identification papers, which will take at least a day to be made. We'll also need weapons, winter clothing, and a lot more- all of which will be taken care of. While all of this gets taken care of, how does a tour of the planet sound?"

* * *

"Well," Riyo said, sitting down on Ahsoka's bed in their hotel room, "Jorys and Edose are going to be at the boloball game for at least another hour."

Ahsoka put aside her datapad. "Cool. So we're here alone? Was there something you wanted to do?"

"Um…" Riyo glanced away briefly. "I was wondering if you wanted to… you know…"

Ahsoka's heart beat a little faster. "Yes?"

"You know… show me some ways to use the Force?" Riyo finished.

"Oh!" Ahsoka sat up (with no small sense of relief). "Of course. Here, let's sit down."

They sat down cross-legged on the floor, as if they were beginning one of their meditation sessions.

"Hm." Ahsoka was silent for a few moments as she weighed her options. Teaching Riyo would be tricky at best, and unsuccessful or possibly dangerous at the worst. She had fifteen years of knowledge, and she was attempting to push it onto someone who had what amounted to a few tens of hours of meditating. Even the younglings she'd mentored had more experience around the Force.

Well, there were a couple of things in their favor, too. Riyo's incredible work ethic and resolve put her light-years ahead of any youngling, and she really did have the emotional composure of a Jedi Master. Maybe they could do this.

"All right." Ahsoka reached out and took Riyo's hands. "Your Force-sensitivity is like an extension of your body, and before we do anything else, you need to learn to control it like it's a body part. The best way to do that, I think, is if we did some meditation first."

Riyo closed her eyes. "Got it."

It was little more than routine to go through the breathing exercises by now, and soon they were ready to move on.

"Okay. Can you sense me in front of you?"

"Yes," said Riyo without hesitation.

"So, if I did this-" Ahsoka used the Force to pull over a fork from the table and set it between them. "Did you feel that?"

"You… used the Force… to pick something up and put it between us," Riyo said after a pause. "It was like something flew out from you. Like… an extension of yourself."

Huh. Riyo was _much_ further along than Ahsoka would've guessed. In just a few minutes, she had blown through what amounted to a few weeks' worth of training for a youngling. At this rate, maybe anything really was possible.

"You felt my Force presence. You should sense something like it in yourself."

Riyo was silent for a moment. "I… I think I've found it. It's been here for as long as I can remember, but I never really thought about it much until… until now, I guess. What happens if I do this?"

Suddenly, Riyo's Force presence reached out and brushed against her. Ahsoka drew back with a start at the touch.

Riyo opened her eyes. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"No, no, nothing's wrong. That was _perfect,_ actually. I'm just used to working with younglings that are much slower to pick this up than you are."

"Oh." Riyo flexed her hand, and again Ahsoka felt the Pantoran's Force presence brush against her. "What exactly did I do?"

"You did what I wanted you to do. You're already manipulating your Force presence like it's an extension of your body. I've never seen anyone pick this up so fast." Ahsoka slid the fork towards Riyo. "Do you want to try lifting this fork with the Force?"

"Of course." Riyo closed her eyes, and Ahsoka watched with bated breath.

But after several minutes had passed without the fork moving, Riyo sighed and opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry. It's not working. I- I can feel the Force around me and I can move it, but… that's all I can do."

"I know this might sound a little silly, but don't try to force it," Ahsoka said. "The power will come to you. Do you know what the best thing you can do is?"

"What?"

"Trust in the Force," Ahsoka said. "Just trust in the Force."

"Trust in the Force," Riyo repeated. "I think I can do that."

She closed her eyes again, and Ahsoka could sense the Force coiling around her.

"Trust in the Force," she whispered.

Riyo nodded, mouthing the phrase silently to herself.

The fork quivered.

And then it rose ever so slightly off the ground.

Ahsoka's breath caught deep on her throat as she watched what was happening.

Riyo's expression was tight with concentration as she mouthed the phrase over and over again- _trust in the Force trust in the Force trust in the Force-_

The fork stopped rising. It stayed in the air, centimeters above the ground, not moving, but hovering.

Then Riyo opened her eyes, and the fork fell back to the floor.

"I'm sorry. That's the highest I could get it."

Ahsoka gave Riyo a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. That was a great first try! Most younglings would take weeks to learn that, you know."

Privately, she was amazed. Riyo's prowess with the Force with so little practice defied belief. And she certainly didn't seem to be in any danger of falling to the Dark Side. This was flying in the face of several millennia worth of Jedi doctrines. At this rate, Riyo could end up surpassing _her_ someday.

* * *

For the next two days, the four of them traveled to various places around Pantora- cities up and down the Eastern continents, and oceanside resorts in the West. It was a cheerful trip, with the exception of the end of the last day, where a large delegation of Assembly members joined them to visit a location in the middle of the ocean.

Riyo was withdrawn on the flight over, which struck Ahsoka as odd, since throughout the entire trip, Riyo had been full of energy wherever they went. But now, she said nothing, instead looking contemplatively out the window for most of the journey. Only near the end did she say anything,

"I'm lucky to be on Pantora on this day," Riyo remarked, turning to Ahsoka. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. The last two years, I took a leave of office to come here."

"What's today?"

"Remembrance Day," Riyo said. "The anniversary of the day when the West surrendered to the East in the Pantoran Civil War."

"Oh." Thoughts of Riyo's description of the Pantoran Civil War jumped into Ahsoka's head- _Pantora still bears the scars of the conflict… they called it the Forever War… a long, ugly, conflict._ And she understood Riyo's silence. "Where are we going?"

"The Tiemanta Station Memorial." Riyo pointed out the window. "Look. You can see it in the distance."

Ahsoka looked out the window. Sure enough, a ring of seven small islands was coming over the horizon, framed by the setting sun. A sprawling gray structure connected the islands, conjuring up an image of a giant spiderweb glinting in the fading light.

As their ship approached the station, a feeling of foreboding started to form in the pit of Ahsoka's stomach. "What is it?"

"The site of the bloodiest battle in the entire Civil War," Riyo said darkly. "The beginning of the end for the West. It was here that General Scry made his charge. This is where the Sixtieth Airborne and the entire Army of Dulars met their ends. They-" She stopped. "I'm sorry. You wouldn't know what any of that means."

"No. I know exactly what it means," Ahsoka said, staring at the growing islands out the window. She understood the foreboding feeling now. It signaled death. Destruction. Blood. She'd felt it before. Tiemanta was another Umbara. Another Felucia. Another battle where the brutal hand of war swept away legions in one stroke- where a day could leave thousands of soldiers to never breathe another breath, and tens of thousands more to leave the battlefield scarred and shocked. And when one side or the other had won the day, there would be practically nobody to raise the flag of victory.

They were coming in to land on one of the islands, and Ahsoka let out an involuntary shiver. The presence of death on these islands was thick and choking, as if a freezing blanket had been dropped over her. She had only felt like that once before, on Umbara. This was the misery of an entire planet, compressed into a site that struggled to fill one square kilometer.

"Do you feel it in the Force?" Riyo whispered. "I used to think I was crazy, for feeling so cold whenever I came here. The ghosts didn't help, either. There was always hundreds of them, hovering around me and whispering indistinctly in my ear. Sometimes I heard their voices. It's- it's-" She broke off, fighting back tears, and leaned into Ahsoka's shoulder.

Ahsoka couldn't even offer any comforting words in reply, because the ship had landed, and she'd never felt so cold in her life.

As they stepped off the ship, Ahsoka saw what Riyo meant by the ghosts. On the landing pad, what seemed like hundreds of indistinct Pantorans in dark green or black uniforms huddled in an incorporeal mass, staring blankly at them. Nobody else saw the ghosts.

As they moved off the landing pad, the ghosts parted to let them pass. Ahsoka couldn't help but reach out to one of them- a woman in a dark green uniform who watched with unblinking eyes as Ahsoka passed a hand through her stomach. Suddenly, a volley of images bombarded Ahsoka- a jet flying low over the ocean- a wall of flames- the water rushing too fast up to her-

Voices. She could hear their voices, too.

 _"_ _I'm coming in too hot!"_

 _"_ _I can't hold it!"_

 _"_ _PULL UP!"_

She staggered back fro the ghosts, gasping.

"You see them, too?" Riyo asked. "I guess I was always Force-sensitive."

"No one could be Force-sensitive and _not_ see this," Ahsoka said. "This is overwhelming."

"It gets a little better once we get up into the control room. There aren't any ghosts in there."

"The what?"

"That's what's at the top of the station. The guide will give us a little history lesson when you get to the top. You'll understand a little better after that."

A guide led them up into a passage that went straight into the heart of the structure connecting the islands, and they emerged into what had to be the highest point in the station, with transparisteel windows that gave a sweeping view of everything around for miles.

The guide stepped up onto a stand. A hush fell as he began to speak.

"Right now, you are standing at what was the center of Tiemanta Station. The seven small islands that you see around the station used to be one large island- Tiemanta. During the Pantoran Civil War, Tiemanta Station was one of the West's greatest strongholds, strategically placed in the middle of the Magosian Ocean. The ion cannons on the island were responsible for shooting down eleven East Pantoran capital ships over the course of the war, and countless smaller crafts. It was unapproachable from the air, and a strong navy presence protected it on the water. For the first ten years of the civil war, this station kept the western coast of West Pantora safe from the East's advances. And then on the third day of the month of the Moon, the East launched a massive naval invasion. On that morning, as the sun rose, fifty-five destroyers, twenty-one aircraft carriers, a hundred smaller troop and landing crafts, and sixty thousand East Pantorans came over the horizon to take Tiemanta Station." The guide swept a hand toward the windows. "Imagine standing in here on that morning and seeing those forces coming towards you in front of the rising sun, and knowing that today would be the beginning of the end of the war. The side that held Tiemanta Station by the end of the day would be the victors of the war. Opposing them were forty-two destroyers, one hundred and eighty gunships, and forty-five thousand West Pantorans. The station had four hundred heavy guns arrayed across the island, in addition to numerous mines and traps laid through the water to deter attackers. A massive shield generator protected this island."

The guide paused. "I won't go into the details of the battle, except for the fact that for most of the day, either side could have won. It was only by tragic luck that the East took the fort. Late in the day, after the casualties for both sides were mounting into the tens of thousands, one East pilot attempted a suicide run, flying _under_ the shields surrounding the station, with a margin of error of only inches. He navigated past the antiaircraft batteries in the fort and crashed into the shield generator, destroying it. The resulting explosion was so powerful that it blew the island apart, resulting in the scattered archipelagos that you see today. This building that you stand in is not the original fort. This is a memorial, and it is devoid of any weapons. This island belongs to no continent, and it never will." The guide fell silent and closed his eyes, looking down.

For some time, nobody spoke. Gradually, Ahsoka began to sense a feeling of anticipation in the room as the sun sank behind the ocean. Finally, as the last sliver of the sun disappeared into the horizon, Riyo stepped to the forefront of the group and addressed them.

"We are lucky to have the peace that we enjoy today and the national goodwill that ensures we will never see another war that will split Pantora." She turned to face the window. "Join me, then, in the remembrance of how the bonds of this planet were forged in fire and death."

All of the Pantorans were watching the water now. Jorys and Edose seemed to have no idea what was going on, but they were watching the water. So Ahsoka turned to watch as well.

At first, nothing happened, but as the twilight began to deepen into night, there was a spark of light beneath them. A single light, barely visible, shone in the ocean. Suddenly, another one winked into existence next to it. And then a third. And a fourth.

As she watched, a wave of light washed through the ocean- thousands of small lights submerged in the water all coming alight at once, lighting the sea ablaze in all directions.

"For every life, a light," Riyo said, her voice tight and choked.

For every life a light. And then, on the cold island that reeked of death, with Riyo holding back tears, Ahsoka had never disliked war as much as she did in that moment.

 **A/N: This was a handful of scenes that I wanted to put in the story, but they wouldn't go anywhere else, so I decided that this was a good place to put them. If anyone wants a preview of the Corellia mission, check out chapter 3 of "The Reviewer's Files" for a little preview from the perspective of Palpatine. As always, I would love it if you left a review. Don't expect to wait very long on the next chapter. Thanks for reading. Muffin out.**


	15. Chapter 15: Old Faces, New Enemies

**Chapter 15**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **A/N: So. First of all, an apology for being a month late with my update. I fell down the rabbit hole known as RWBY. If you visited my tumblr blog in late August, what you would've seen was a whole lot of incoherent yelling as I liveblogged my way through it. For those of you who don't know what RWBY is, it's an American anime with glowy characters, ludicrous weapons ('it's also a gun'), EMOTION, teenage girls slaying monsters, the outer space equivalent of Hogwarts, puns, gratuitous references, and most importantly, a whole bunch of gayness. Some of you may have been alarmed when your author alerts for me went off and you saw that I started writing a RWBY fanfiction. Well, this chapter is here to quell your fears. APSCF** ** _will_** **continue! This chapter is proof enough of that. Now, lights, camera, ACTION!**

Leaving Pantora had been infinitely easier than leaving Coruscant. A few minutes to get out of the gravity well, and then they were in hyperspace. No obtrusive Jedi. No 'random' searches.

The tunnel of hyperspace was as breathtaking as ever. Ahsoka and Jorys sat in the cockpit of the ship, watching the outside display in silence. They'd been that way for some time now, simply manning the controls for the sake of readiness if an emergency forced them out hyperspace. Their ship wasn't a lavish Pantoran cruiser- now they were flying a nondescript, slightly battered freighter that kept a profile much more in line with what the mission called for.

Jorys broke the silence after a glance at the navcomputer.

"Half an hour to Corellia," she noted. "We should let Edose and Senator Chuchi know that we're almost there. Where's the intercom?"

"Here." Ahsoka flicked a switch, connecting to a speaker in the bunk room, where she knew Riyo was taking notes for their mission. "Riyo, you there?"

Riyo's reply was immediate. "Yes. What is it?"

"We're dropping out of hyperspace in thirty minutes."

"Thanks. I'll join you in the cockpit."

"All right, see you in a few." Ahsoka shut off the intercom and leaned back, folding her arms behind her head. After a few moments, she sensed Jorys watching her, and she turned her gaze to the soldier. "Is there something you want to say?"

"I should thank you," Jorys said. "Edose and I had a bet on whether you and Senator Chuchi would get together or not. Thanks for making me ten credits richer."

"Where's your _shame,_ Jorys?" Ahsoka grumbled.

Jorys shrugged. "Consider me a hopeless romantic."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, but didn't counter. They fell into a contemplative silence.

Some time later, Ahsoka spoke up. "What do you think we're getting into?"

Jorys made a noncommittal noise. "Well, this Guel fellow- seems like he could be a pretty hardened criminal if he's smuggling arms to the Separatists. But then again, he might be pretty stupid, considering that he only ever 'robbed' his own warehouses."

"Hm." Ahsoka nodded.

"Dangerous but stupid." Jorys' face darkened, and she turned to face the window. "I've learned that's a combination more destructive than anything else in the galaxy. Forget your Sith Lords. Face-to-face, nothing's as outright dangerous as a scared dunce with a loaded blaster."

Ahsoka nodded, drumming her fingers on a control panel. The Force was silent in her head now. Silence could be a good thing. Sometimes it meant peace and calm and safety. But she had learned to discern the different types of quiet in the Force, and this hush was anything but tranquil. This calm in the Force was the kind that she'd felt before so many battles- a mere veil that the gruesome specter of destruction loomed behind, and when that veil broke, all hell never failed to break loose. It was the calm before the storm.

And, by Force, she had weathered so many storms in her life already that she was far too familiar with what would surely come. Death.

The door slid open, and Riyo and Edose entered the cockpit.

"How far out are we?" Riyo asked, taking a seat next to Ahsoka.

"Seven minutes to landing," Jorys answered.

"We should go over our itinerary." Riyo took out her datapad. "It's easy enough, but we'll review it just to be safe."

"We're all ears, Senator," Edose said, leaning against the bulkhead.

"We know that Guel spends a lot of time at a podracing track in Coronet City," Riyo began. "Conveniently, there's a race starting there a few minutes after we arrive. Once we land and dock, Ahsoka and I will go to the track and try to find Guel. Jorys and Edose, you both to go down to the warehouses that were robbed and see if you can pick up any information."

Jorys nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

The navcomputer flashed, and Ahsoka turned her attention to the controls. "Four minutes to Corellia."

A new mission awaited them.

* * *

When Ahsoka thought of a podracing track, she expected to see bleachers packed with thousands of cheering spectators, as scores of beaten-up podracers smashed into each other and jockeyed for position- the way that podracing sounded when Anakin had described it to her. What she didn't expect was a derelict, nearly deserted track, with only a few podracers zooming around the circuit. The only noise aside from some lifeless background music was the screechy whine of the engines. Even the collisions between racers seemed uninspired.

"This isn't… what I was expecting," she said finally, after watching for a few moments in dumbfounded silence.

"Well, podracing _is_ a dying sport," Riyo said. "I would know. I performed research for the legislation that outlawed it in the Core planets. Even if it's still legal here, outlawing it in the Core scared off most of its fanbase in the Mid Rim. The only place where it's still popular is the Outer Rim."

"Wonder what Anakin would think of this," Ahsoka commented, looking around at the audience. There couldn't have been more than ten people here, and none of them were Iktotchi.

Their cloaks were almost unnecessary here- _almost._ It was still too easy for a notorious ex-Jedi and a revolutionary Pantoran senator to be recognized. The last thing she needed was word getting out to the Jedi that she was on Corellia.

"Let's try the bar. If it's even open."

Somehow, the bar was even emptier than the track. The only sign of life aside from a few blaring holoscreens was an unpleasant-looking human behind the counter. He looked up as they approached. "Something to drink?"

"We're looking for Xuton Guel," Riyo said. "Someone told us that he could be found here."

"Guel, huh?" The bartender squinted at her. "And just who are you?"

"Can you tell us if Guel is here or not?" Riyo said.

"I don't give out information on my customers just like that," he shot back. "I need a name."

"Why do you need a name?" Riyo asked. "There's nothing wrong with asking where he is."

"Listen." He leaned over the counter and jabbed a finger at Riyo. "I've got people I need to protect, and if you don't have a good reason for seeing Guel, then either buy a drink or leave."

At that moment, Ahsoka stepped forward, meaning to talk to the bartender herself, but then something unexpected happened as she moved into the light around the counter. His face went stark white with terror, and he shrank away, throwing up an arm defensively.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he gasped. "I didn't realize _you_ were with her-!"

"What?" Ahsoka asked.

"It was a mistake, I swear! Are you looking for Xuton, Lady Tiger?"

 _Lady Tiger?_ "What-" She stopped herself, sensing an opportunity. Her mind whirled fiercely for a few microseconds, and she then she took another step forward.

"Yes, I am." She put her arm around Riyo. "And she's with me." If the bartender was scared of her, she might as well put that fear to good use. She let a tinge of menace flow into her voice. "If you want to…" She paused, searching for a suitable threat. "If you want to… enjoy the continued usage of… all your limbs, you _will_ let us speak with Guel, wherever he may be."

"Of- of course!" he gasped, pointing wildly at a corner of the bar that looked out on the podracing track. "Table fifty-four! He's there right now!"

Ahsoka's head whipped up, hand already at her blaster, but there was no need. At the other side of the bar was the outline of a lone figure, obscured by the low light but appearing completely at ease. There was no sign that he'd noticed them.

"Thank you." She started to turn away, but then the Force whispered something. Quick as lightning, she whipped around and, even as she was still realizing it, she was snatching the bartender's comlink out of his hand.

"You won't touch that comlink until I've left, if you know what's good for you." She dropped it on the counter in front of the still-quaking man and turned away, heading towards the other side of the room.

She had to remind herself to tread cautiously. This was still a dangerous criminal who could very well be armed right now. Next to her, she sensed Riyo unholstering her blaster, and by an unspoken decision, she moved to the left and began walking along the wall, cutting off Guel's route of escape. Ahsoka kept walking directly towards him. She still couldn't see much; just that he was definitely an Iktotchi. He was absorbed in the racing going on outside, and there was no indication that he had noticed them.

And then a light from outside flashed, illuminating Guel's face and throwing his features into sharp relief.

Ahsoka squinted at him in dawning recognition, and then her face collapsed into a snarl.

That was the face of someone that she had a very large score to settle with. Kevor Rosgrest was sitting ten feet away from her.

 _That double-crossing.  
Thieving.  
No-good smuggler._

 _TRAITOR._

 _HE WAS_ _ **HERE**_ _!_

An all-consuming thirst for revenge thundered through Ahsoka's head, and before she knew what she was doing, she was launching herself into the air at Rosgrest, hands outstretched with intent to do bodily harm. Just before she made contact, Rosgrest started to turn, and he glimpsed her incensed expression flying straight at him in the dim light of the bar.

The look of pure terror on his cowardly face was deeply, _deeply_ satisfying to Ahsoka she slammed full-force into him, knocking over the table and everything else in the vicinity, before their momentum carried them through the window with a crash and into the empty stands below. Ahsoka landed easily, pinning Rosgrest to the ground with her knee.

"TANO?!" Rosgrest screamed, his voice several octaves higher than normal.

"YOU!" Ahsoka roared. "Give me ONE reason why I shouldn't choke your _useless_ life out of your body _RIGHT NOW!"_ She slammed Rosgrest's head into the ground, eliciting a scream from the smuggler.

"Please! I'm sorry! I thought you were a criminal!"

"You left me to the mercy of the Jedi, and mercy is something that they've had _NONE_ of for me in a very, very long time!"

Rosgrest clawed desperately at Ahsoka's hands, which gripped his throat with a purpose. "Please! I was scared! Anybody would've run!"

The fear on Rosgrest's face was almost maddening to Ahsoka. She wanted _more._ She wanted to see pain. She wanted to see regret. She wanted to make Rosgrest feel every negative emotion in the whole galaxy. But her rage clouded her mind and prevented her from doing anything more than screaming impotently. "YOU MOTHERKRIFFER!"

"AHSOKA!"

Ahsoka froze, her stands still around Rosgrest's neck, ice instantly filling her veins, as she looked up. Riyo stood over them, her expression vacillating between surprised and horrified.

"What are you doing? You're hurting him!"

Ahsoka looked down at Rosgrest's face, and for the first time she noticed the bloody scrapes and bruises that hadn't been there a few seconds ago. Injuries inflicted by her.

"Oh, Force," she gasped, getting up. "I… I didn't mean…"

Riyo put a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder and looked into her eyes with such intensity that for a moment, it felt as if their roles in the Force were reversed with her as the master and Ahsoka nothing but the learner.

"Breathe," she commanded. "It's okay. You're fine. I'll deal with him."

"All right." Ahsoka nodded shakily and stepped back as Riyo crouched down next to Rosgrest. "I-I'm sorry, " she said abruptly. "I hurt you-"

"S'okay." Rosgrest swiped away a smear of blood from his cheek. "I deserved that. I did leave you in a pretty bad spot."

"Are you all right?" Riyo asked, pulling out a bandage and offering it to him.

"I've been better," Rosgrest mumbled, accepting the bandage.

Riyo looked up. "Ahsoka, do you know this person?"

"Of course I do." Ahsoka glared at Rosgrest. "He's the one who ditched me on Coruscant."

"Oh." Suddenly, Riyo's eyes glittered with something hard and cold, and when she spoke, it was in a much more guarded tone. "I was not aware of that."

"Who are you, anyway?" Rosgrest asked, sitting up. "I know Tano over here, but I've never seen you before."

Riyo regarded him with a look that contained much more disdain than a few seconds before. "I'm Ahsoka's girlfriend."

Rosgrest blinked and quickly opened and closed his mouth before actually speaking. "Right. Right. I guess I'm going to die tonight. Just kill me quickly, please. I have a low pain tolerance."

"We're not going to kill you," Riyo said, although she looked rather regretful that they couldn't. "We just want you to come with us and answer some questions."

Still not fully calmed down, Ahsoka felt the need to further scare Rosgrest. "Maybe I _should_ kill you, considering that you're a traitor to the Republic."

"Traitor to the Repub-?" Rosgrest gaped. "Listen, I know that dropping you into a den of cops is a terrible thing to do, but it's no high treason!"

"I'm talking about your _other_ business venture, Kevor Rosgrest. Or should I call you _Xuton Guel?"_

The uttering of the weapon-runner's name didn't have quite the reaction she'd been expecting. There was no shock, fear, or terror at being discovered. Rosgrest's expression- while certainly full of recognition at the name- was just plain puzzled. Something wasn't right.

"How do you know my brother's name?" he asked.

Dead silence. The Force backed up Rosgrest's words. And suddenly, things became a lot more complicated.

Ahsoka smacked her forehead. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

* * *

Ahsoka put down her mug of Corellian ale and stared at Rosgrest. "What in the _Force_ are you doing posing as your brother?"

Rosgrest shrugged. "I needed a spot to lay low after I escaped Coruscant. I told Xuton about it, and he offered to have me take his place for a few weeks. All I had to do was pretend to be him. It wasn't that hard- we look alike, and Xuton didn't do much besides run a warehouse, drink, and watch podracing. How was _I_ supposed to know that he was smuggling arms to the Separatists?!"

Ahsoka rubbed her forehead. Having defused the situation, they'd returned to the bar to question Rosgrest, who was being surprisingly civil now. But they still weren't getting anywhere. "It didn't strike you as the least bit odd that your brother essentially wanted you take on his identity?"

"Hey, we're brothers! Well, half-brothers, but still! We help each other out now and ask questions later!"

"Do you know where Guel might have gone?" Riyo asked.

Rosgrest sighed. "Listen, I honestly don't know. You have to believe that."

The Force's silence confirmed Rosgrest's honesty. Ahsoka muttered a curse. "So our only lead is a dead end."

She had escaped Coruscant, going against the direct orders of the Jedi and putting Riyo in danger while doing so, and now it was all for nothing. She gave Rosgrest a loathing glare. "Why couldn't you have hid on a different planet and made my life a lot easier?"

"I said I was sorry. I don't know what else I can do!"

"You could jump off a cliff. That would make me feel a lot better," Ahsoka muttered darkly.

Riyo pushed away her ale. "Ahsoka. We should go. I don't think we're going to find anything here."

"Sure." She got up and made to follow Riyo out. But as she passed by Rosgrest, she remembered something and grabbed his shoulder.

"Tell me where your ship is docked," she demanded.

"Keuchelister docks. It's just a few miles from here."

"I'm coming to your ship tomorrow. And I want back everything that you stole from me," she hissed.

"But of course," Rosgrest squeaked. "I'll be there."

"Good." With that, she left, running back up to Riyo's side.

"This is unfortunate," Riyo said. "What now?"

"I'm going to go back tomorrow and get back what he took from me. After that…" Ahsoka gnashed her teeth. "Kriff. I guess this is the end of the line."

She saw Riyo shoot her a glance. "You hate him. With good reason," the Pantoran commented.

"He's the reason I don't like smugglers," Ahsoka grumbled. "None of them have any morals. They'd sell their mother for a few credits if they could. But he's _especially_ bad. I may be overreacting, but I can't forget about how he's just so… so…"

"Terrible?" Riyo supplied helpfully.

Ahsoka nodded emphatically. "Yes." They were out of the stadium by now, walking through the city streets.

"Were there any other leads in the mission file?"

Riyo shook her head. "Guel was the only one."

"Well, once I get to Rosgrest tomorrow, we could see if Guel left behind any clues as to where he's headed-"

Something else was nagging at Ahsoka's memory. Something before they found Rosgrest…

"Wait!" She stopped dead. "Do you remember when we first came in and that bartender called me something?"

"Wasn't it 'Lady Tiger' or something along those lines?"

Her heart started to beat faster. _"Yes!_ He thought I was someone else! I completely forgot this! He was really afraid of me. Riyo, I think I bear a resemblance to someone who's got a big hand in this conspiracy. And that bartender knows her."

Riyo turned around. "We're going back right now and finding out what he knows."

They were only a few blocks away, so getting back to the track took no time at all. But when they came into view of the bar, something was wrong. A black speeder van was parked outside with the engine running. Someone was behind the driver's seat, and Ahsoka could just barely make out the glow of a datapad in the cockpit.

They ducked behind a wall, and Ahsoka glanced out. "You think that's just a late-night delivery?" she muttered.

"In an unmarked vehicle? No chance," Riyo whispered.

"Come on," Ahsoka whispered. "We'll go around it. Stick to the shadows."

Their stealth was completely unnecessary, as it turned out. The driver didn't look up from their datapad once as they ran by. And then, as they ran towards the entrance, they heard a scream.

Rosgrest.

Riyo drew her blaster. "Ahsoka, are you sure that we should be-?"

"It's now or never, Riyo," Ahsoka said, drawing her own weapon.

Riyo nodded. "Then let's go."

They burst through the doors, ready for a fight.

The bar was nearly pitch-black now. The bartender was still behind the counter, but he was leaning against a wall, his face ghost-white, and he looked _much_ more terrified than before. There was an indistinct mass of shadows surrounding Rosgrest's table in the corner, and it was from there that his screams emanated.

Then one patch of black detached itself from the rest, forming a humanoid outline, and started to walk towards Ahsoka and Riyo.

There was a _click_ as Riyo turned off the safety on her blaster, and the sound pushed Ahsoka into action.

"Stop!" she yelled, leveling her blaster at the advancing figure. "Stop, or I'll shoot!"

Then the figure shifted, and Ahsoka found herself staring at a pair of burning yellow eyes. She had only seen that kind of eyes on three other people in the galaxy.

As if echoing Riyo's pistol, another series of _clicks_ reached her ears, all from behind her. The sound of DC-15 blaster rifles being cocked. _Smuggled_ DC-15 blaster rifles. Far too late, the Force screamed a warning, and Ahsoka couldn't even begin to turn before a volley of stun bolts slammed into her back.

As she slipped into unconsciousness, a voice rippled through the room, the tone undoubtedly female.

"Ahsoka Tano. You have no idea how long I've waited to meet you."

 **A/N: All right. Because I'm writing two fics** **simultaneously, and because 5,000 different things are happening in my life right now, updates will not be quite as frequent as before. But this fic _will_ update. I'm going to finish this come hell or high water. Thank you. Air Force Muffin out.**


	16. Chapter 16: Through A Mirror Darkly

**Chapter 16: Through A Mirror Darkly**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **Next chapter! Enjoy. Did anyone read the Ahsoka novel that came out a few weeks ago? I did, and it's AMAZING. Check it out if you haven't already.**

Waking up was a terrible experience. As Ahsoka emerged from unconsciousness, panic filled her when she realized that she was blindfolded and her arms were tied to her sides. Force knew where she was now.

Riyo. Where was Riyo?

"Riyo?" she called out cautiously. And to her intense relief, a reply came.

"Ahsoka? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm as okay as I can be while tied up and blindfolded."

Riyo gave a short laugh. "Your wit doesn't seem to have suffered at all." Her voice grew serious. "Really, Ahsoka, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. What about you?"

"In the same situation as you are, but fine."

Suddenly, a third voice cut in.

"Tano? Senator Chuchi? Is that you guys?"

 _"_ _Jorys?"_ Ahsoka almost yelled her companion's name. She wasn't sure whether to be elated that Jorys was here with them or crestfallen that she'd been captured as well. "Is Edose there?"

"Right here," Edose mumbled.

"He's still a little out of it," Jorys explained. "I think he got hit harder than I did."

"Oh." Ahsoka let out a shaky laugh. "Well, I guess the gang's all here, then."

"Lovely, now we can die together," a fifth, very dazed voice added.

"What the-" Ahsoka swiveled in the direction of the voice. _"Rosgrest?"_

"In the flesh," he said. "Nice little situation that we've gotten ourselves into."

"Rosgrest, do me a favor and be quiet unless you have something useful to say," Ahsoka snapped.

A very cowed silence was the only reply that she got, much to her satisfaction. "Good. Now, is anyone here not blindfolded?"

"No."

"Nope."

"Sorry."

"I wish I wasn't."

"Okay." Ahsoka turned her head in a circle, concentrating with her montrals. Their captors probably weren't accounting for the evolutionary advantage she had as a Togruta. But the image she got wasn't very helpful, either.

"All right, so it looks like we're in a windowless room about ten meters by twelve meters, and aside from the five of us, the room is empty. There's a door next to you, Jorys- but it's locked. Nothing that helps us." She gave an experimental tug at the ropes binding her, with no luck. "Does anyone not have their arms tied to their sides?"

Silence.

She sighed. "All right. Good thing I can use the Force. I'll get our blindfolds off, starting with Riyo."

"Um… I just got my blindfold off." Riyo's tone was almost apologetic. "I used the Force."

"Wait, really? How quickly?"

"I started trying to get it off after you asked us if we were blindfolded."

"Riyo, that's _amazing._ Heck, I don't think _I_ can do it that quickly!"

Jorys cut in. "Tano, do you think we could save the celebration of the Senator's newfound powers for later, once we've escaped from wherever we are?"

Ahsoka stopped. "Right. Sorry. I'll get yours off first, Jorys."

"That would be appreciated."

Ahsoka furrowed her brow, concentrating on the knotted strip of cloth around Jorys's forehead.

"How did you and Riyo get in here, anyway?" Jorys asked. "And who's the third guy?"

"We went to the podracing track to look for Guel, but instead of him, we found his brother," Riyo explained. "That's Kevor Rosgrest, the one in the corner. Ahsoka had… a bit of a score to settle with him, but once things calmed down we found out that Guel fled the planet and tricked Rosgrest into taking his place. Then the smugglers showed up and- Rosgrest, what _were_ the smugglers trying to do to you?"

"They wanted to know where my brother was. And who you guys were. One of them- I think it was the woman- kept asking me-"

Ahsoka jerked up, almost losing her hold on Jorys's blindfold. "A woman? Did you get a good look at her face?"

"Didn't see anything. That bar was so dark by then that I couldn't see my own hand. But the bartender called her Lady something or other, like it was an official title."

"Was it Lady Tiger, by any chance?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yeah, that's it!" Rosgrest exclaimed.

"Hm." With a final twist of the Force, Ahsoka finally managed to undo Jorys's blindfold, and she leaned back. "Done."

Jorys exhaled in relief. "Wow. Thanks, Tano. Can't say there's much to see in here, though…" She trailed off, and Ahsoka guessed that she was looking at Rosgrest. "I've never seen you before in my life, buddy, but welcome to intergalactic espionage."

"Thanks. I didn't ask to be here," Rosgrest said. "Tano, if you could get my blindfold off…?"

"Edose, I'll get yours off," Ahsoka said, turning away from Rosgrest and ignoring the smuggler's sputter of indignation. "So how did you and Jorys end up here?" she asked, concentrating on Edose's blindfold.

"Well, we-"

Edose was cut off by the _hiss_ of a door opening. A deathly quiet fell on the room.

Ahsoka froze, forgetting about Edose's blindfold. _Something_ was standing in the doorway, something with a repulsively dark Force presence that positively _reeked_ of despair and rage and _thirst_.

And then Riyo gasped. Jorys made a noise of startled surprise. In both of their Force presences, Ahsoka could sense shocked half-recognition that quickly tapered off into confusion.

A sharp tap sounded. Followed quickly by another. And a third, this one closer to her. Footsteps. Slow, deliberate footsteps coming right at her.

The footsteps stopped, and Ahsoka could feel the darkness directly in front of her, roiling and heaving as it stared her in the face. She didn't even have the power to stare back.

Only one word sprang to her lips to describe the malevolence before her.

"Sith…" she breathed.

"Not quite yet," a soft, dangerous voice said in reply. Deft hands slipped around her head, finding the knot that held her blindfold together. "But someday. You know me by another title."

Ahsoka knew it.

"Lady Tiger," she said aloud.

There was a chuckle. "My reputation precedes me." The blindfold was coming loose, professional hands quickly dismantling it. "My _real_ name is Mia Sangos. And you, Ahsoka Tano, are someone that I've always admired greatly."

The blindfold fell away; Ahsoka finally came face-to-face with her captor, and the confusion from Riyo and Jorys made much more sense.

For one terrible moment, she thought she was looking into a mirror. But then, as she recoiled in horrified confusion, it quickly became clear that she was looking into the face of a Togruta who looked very much like her, aside from one glaring difference- her flaming yellow eyes.

"Ahsoka Tano," Sangos repeated. "The former Padawan Learner of Anakin Skywalker. A Republic war hero. You've gone up against the best we have to offer and won."

Ahsoka remained silent, waiting for her captor to get to the point.

Suddenly, her stare grew intense, and she leaned in. 'But most importantly, you were the first Jedi to voluntarily leave the Order in _years."_

"I-" Ahsoka had to fight back a rebuttal that her departure wasn't very voluntary at all, and fell silent.

"How do you feel about them?" Sangos asked. "The Order that you were a part of for your entire life until they alienated you and cast you out." Her voice took on a fake softness. "What did they do to you?"

"Why do you care?" Ahsoka snapped.

"Oh, I care very much about the Jedi," Sangos said. "Specifically, their downfall. You see; I'm like you in more ways than our appearance and Force-sensitivity."

Ahsoka couldn't hold back the chill that swept through her at those words. "You're-" She looked Sangos up and down, studying her Force presence. "Were- were you a _Jedi?"_

"That's a question for later." Suddenly, a surge of anger burst off the Togruta's Force presence as she leaned forward, her yellow eyes glaring at Ahsoka. "First, tell me what you're doing here. Why were you impersonating me? Why were you looking for Guel? And why were these two-" She jerked her head at Jorys and Edose- "-snooping around outside my warehouses?"

 _Her_ warehouses. So this woman was the one in charge of this conspiracy. Ahsoka filed that fact away for later while desperately trying to think of a way to explain herself.

"Well?" Sangos prodded. "I've always wanted to meet you, and it would be a _shame_ if you were here on Republic business. I'd have to kill you."

"We're-" Ahsoka started, only to stop. She had to choose her next words very carefully. An unbelievable idea was coming to her mind- it was the only plausible way out that she could think of. But at the same time, taking this route would be one of the most dangerous gambles she'd ever made. One misstep would bring the whole of the Galactic Republic upon her and spell ruin to herself and everyone around her.

But she had long since ceased to operate solely by the rules of the Jedi or the Galactic Republic. And she had a mission to complete. And so, when she opened her mouth, the most dangerous game she'd ever played began.

"We're here," she began, meeting Riyo's eyes as she spoke, "To defect to the Confederation of Independent Systems."

Her declaration was met by various degrees of surprise around the room. Riyo was the quickest to catch on. Her face went from one of surprise to an impassive mask in just a few fractions of a second. However, the same couldn't be said for their companions. Jorys, Edose, and Rosgrest all managed to conceal their reaction well enough on the surface, but the wave of shock rolling off them in the Force was all too obvious. Sangos stared at Ahsoka in silence for several seconds. "Defectors?" She glanced around the room, and when she spoke, her voice was thick with skepticism. "All of you?" Ahsoka got the feeling that Sangos could sense just how caught off-guard everyone was.

She turned back to Ahsoka with a murderous grin. "Defectors. That doesn't explain why _you_ were impersonating _me._ Or why you and the Senator were looking for Guel. Or why these two-" She jerked her head at Jorys and Edose- "- were snooping around outside my warehouses and asking questions about the operation." She shrugged. "Why, it almost seems like you were captured on a mission from the Republic to take down my smuggling operation, and now you're lying to try and save your skins."

Ahsoka didn't let any fear show as she stared down Sangos. "I-"

Sangos held up a hand, stopping her.

"Stop."

"I-"

She snapped her fingers, and the door opened. Four heavily armed Separatist soldiers– all sentients– entered the room. Ahsoka flinched, but Sangos had different plans.

"Take these three away," she said, pointing at Jorys, Edose, and Rosgrest. "Separate rooms for each. Don't question them without me."

 _Oh, no._ Dread filled Ahsoka as she helplessly watched the guards yank Jorys, Edose, and Rosgrest to their feet and push them out the door.

Now Ahsoka and Riyo were alone with Sangos, both of them trapped at opposite sides of the room with the Sith in the middle. They were well and completely at her mercy.

"So," Sangos said as soon as the guards had left, "Why don't you and the senator tell me how you got yourselves here? And then we'll see if your stories match up with your friends'. If they do, then I'll give you a warm welcome to the Confederation of Independent Systems. If they don't…" She gave the same murderous grin from before. "Well, the legend of Ahsoka Tano has to end somewhere. Senator Chuchi will make a pretty little hostage, though."

A tinge of red flashed across Ahsoka's vision, but she managed to keep herself from reacting any further.

Sangos crossed her arms. "So, talk. Tell me the story of how you decided to leave the Republic. I want to know what drove you here. I want to know the fiber that broke the bantha's back. If you're truly a defector, then there's a moment when the Republic and the Jedi became irredeemable in your eyes. And I want to hear about it."

"All of it?"

"As much as you can tell."

"Okay." It was time for Ahsoka to tell a lie. And so she did. She told everything in hopes of gaining the Separatist's trust, doing her best to make the story seem genuine. But as she recounted the last few months of her life, she found it alarming how of this actually _wasn't_ a lie. It was far too easy to spin her recent experiences into a story of a downward spiral that brought her to the doorstep of the Separatists. Force, it wasn't even a lie to say that rage and discontent had been festering in her for the past several months until she could ignore it no longer. Sitting there, spilling everything to a darksider who looked so unsettlingly like her, was acting as a sobering appraisal of how tenuous her grip on her emotions had become. Her outbursts of rage from the last few months- over Barriss's lenient sentence, over the Council's duplicity, over Rosgrest's betrayal– each seeming like an isolated incident on its own, came together to form a troubling picture that screamed she was heading down the wrong path. With this gloom ahold of her mind, she came to the end of the tale.

Sangos was silent for some moments, her eyes half-lidded with appreciation. _"Beautiful,"_ she said finally. "You are truly one of a kind, Ahsoka Tano."

"…Thanks?" Ahsoka said weakly.

Sangos didn't respond as she turned to Riyo. "Now for you, Senator Chuchi. Why are you defecting? You were the crown jewel of the Anti-Governance movement, and your prominence in the Republic has never been greater. Not that I'm ungrateful for what you did in defeating the Sector Governance Bill, but what brought you to throw everything away for the uncertainty here?"

Ahsoka watched with worry, but Riyo didn't wilt under Sangos's scrutinizing gaze. She sent a pulse of reassurance to Ahsoka in the Force, and she relaxed. Thank the Force for her girlfriend's ability to think lightning-fast under pressure.

"How much do you want to hear?" Riyo asked.

"Everything that brought you here."

"It was a long time coming," Riyo began. And with that, she wove a story so immaculately fabricated that even Ahsoka had to wonder just how much truth Riyo was putting behind her words. A tale of discontent that sprung from the years spent under Chi Cho's regime with the Republic refusing to step in and end the oppression. Discontent magnifying into an inferno of burning anger that failed to be quenched by the death of the dictator. That fierce, undying anger slowly transformed into an all-consuming thirst for revenge against the Republic, and the desire for vengeance only tempered by a desire to do it in the most nonviolent of methods- a way that would leave no blood at the surface, but would handcuff the Republic for years to come in the same way that the people of Pantora were handcuffed when the Republic refused to step in. So she waited, biding her time as the galactic civil war played out, until she saw her chance in defeating the Sector Governance Bill.

It was all a terrific lie, and if Ahsoka had never known Riyo before then, she would've believed it, for all of the conviction that the Pantoran put in her words. If that wasn't enough to convince Sangos, then there was no hope.

The only way to describe Sangos's expression was _awestruck._

"Senator Chuchi…" she whispered, drawing closer to Riyo. "You have the mind and temperament of a Sith Lord. Only the great architect of this war can claim to have a more cunning mind than yours." She was still approaching Riyo, frowning in thought now. Riyo recoiled from the darksider, but the wall left her with nowhere to go as Sangos reached out with her hand, stopping just short of touching Riyo's face–

"You're Force-sensitive," she said suddenly, in a moment of realization. Her expression was changing again, to one of great intrigue. "And you have… control. More control than any untrained user has a right to."

The potential words raised an impossibly lethal feeling deep in Ahsoka. "Get away from her," she growled.

Sangos didn't even acknowledge Ahsoka. "How do I know you're not a Sith already?" she crooned to Riyo. "If you're not… You would make a wonderful one someday…"

"Get AWAY FROM HER!" Ahsoka yelled, and this time, she reached into the Force, pulling Sangos backwards and away from Riyo with no gentle strength.

The reaction was immediate and painful. Sangos turned around, eyes blazing, and then an invisible but heavy blow struck Ahsoka's head with brutal force, throwing her onto her side.

"I think you forget that I'm a Sith acolyte," Sangos growled. "I'm no Ventress, but I can defeat you."

Internally, Ahsoka doubted that statement very much, and she wouldn't mind testing the darksider's bite right then. Gritting her teeth, she ground out a warning.

"Listen, if you so much as bring Riyo _near_ any of the Sith, I'll- I'll-"

"Assertive, aren't you?" Sangos asked. With a pull of the Force, she dragged Ahsoka to her feet. "Well, let me assert something. I can sense something you're not telling me the whole truth. Start talking."

An imperceptible pressure wound around Ahsoka's throat. She swallowed and spoke. "Fine. We came here on a mission that we have no intention of completing."

"We were supposed to take your smuggling operation down. We needed an excuse to come to Corellia, and this mission was the perfect opportunity. The Chancellor himself gave us this job, and even he didn't know what we had planned."

Unexpectedly, Sangos's eyes widened, and the pressure around Ahsoka's throat disappeared. "The _Chancellor_ gave you this job? ...And… he didn't suspect anything?!"

"Not a thing."

"He…" Sangos turned away and began muttering under her breath. Abruptly, she spun around, her eyes boring into Ahsoka's with an intensity that bordered on obsession. "So _you_ are–"

"Yes?" Ahsoka hoped that was the right answer.

Apparently, it was, because Sangos glanced back and forth between them before turning and leaving.

"What's with _her?"_ Ahsoka muttered. "What's the big deal if the Chancellor gave me this mission?"

"I don't know," Riyo said. "But she probably went to interrogate the others."

Ahsoka groaned. "Oh kriff, you're right. I think this is the end of the line for us."

"I trust Jorys and Edose. They've been trained for situations like this."

"I'm not worried about them. Rosgrest is the problem."

"Oh. Right." Riyo exhaled and was was silent for a few moments before admitting, "It doesn't look too good."

"If it comes to this, I'll fight Sangos," Ahsoka said. "I can pound her into the next system before she can say 'slimy Separatist smuggler.' Then we'll beat anything these lousy Separatists can throw at us."

"Ahsoka," Riyo said quietly. "You're not thinking clearly. Sangos touched a nerve, didn't she?"

"SHE-" Ahsoka jerked and stopped herself with difficulty. "Ugh. Yes. I'm not proud of it, but she did. She was already getting under my skin with all that, and then she– and then she– you – She said she wanted to bring you over to the Dark Side–"

"I'm fine, Ahsoka," Riyo assured. "She didn't hurt me. She was just trying to scare us."

"But– Riyo, what if she actually tries to push you over to the Dark Side? She's a Sith. We don't know what she could be capable of-"

"Ahsoka. Look at me."

Riyo's tone of voice was deathly calm, and something in it made Ahsoka's heart skip a beat. She lifted her eyes from the ground and met Riyo's gaze. Even while captured, the Pantoran could exude power and strength. As she looked at Ahsoka, her eyes and her Force presence both conveyed a deep serenity.

"Do you trust yourself?" she asked.

"Of course," Ahsoka answered easily.

"You made me this strong," Riyo continued. "If you can't trust something that you molded with your own hands, how can you trust yourself?"

"I-" Ahsoka faltered. She couldn't argue with Riyo's logic. "I- I guess you're right."

"So don't worry. If Sangos ever tries to lay a hand on me, she will _die,"_ Riyo said coolly. "Be sure of that."

The conviction in Riyo's words almost scared Ahsoka. "I believe you."

They fell into silence, Ahsoka waiting anxiously for someone to return. They didn't have to wait long. Minutes later, Sangos re-entered the room, this time with a still-bound Jorys, Edose, and Rosgrest in tow. When a group of guards filed in behind them, Ahsoka expected that they would be shot right then and there, but then Sangos's next move was completely unexpected.

She nodded to the guards. "Untie them all. It wouldn't do to treat our honored guests like this."

"Wha-?" Ahsoka stared as the guards moved forward and carefully unbound her, before moving to Riyo and doing the same. She stood up, stretching her sore muscles, and looked cautiously at Sangos for an explanation. "Why-?"

"No one could tell a stories like those without _some_ sort of hatred towards the Jedi and the Republic," Sangos said. "Welcome to the Confederation of Independent Systems, Ahsoka Tano."

* * *

"So you want to know more about me."

Sangos's words came across less like a question and more like an order. Then again, as Ahsoka took a seat across from the Separatist, she really didn't have much of a choice. Despite Sangos making it clear that she believed their story, Ahsoka got the feeling that they were still very much prisoners.

The five of them had been escorted under heavy guard to a surprisingly homely dining hall filled with what Ahsoka presumed to be other insurgents. Sangos's entrance, however, had caused a rapid emptying of the hall, and now they were the only ones present, with the exception of the armed guards standing around the perimeter of the room and watching them carefully.

"Yes," Ahsoka said measuredly, even though she really _was_ burning up with curiosity. If her suspicions about Sangos were true, then she was _really_ glad that Anakin hadn't taken this mission.

Sangos pointed at Jorys, Edose, and Rosgrest. "You three. Clear out." She jerked her head at the food counter. "Get something to eat if you want. Have a seat. Relax. But don't come near us until I say you can. If you so much as sneeze in our direction, I won't shoot to kill, but I _will_ shoot to cause excruciating pain."

They started to move away, but Ahsoka got up. "Wait. I want to talk with them."

Sangos gave her a searching look before shrugging. "Go ahead. Make it quick."

"Thanks." Ahsoka turned around and approached Jorys, Edose, and Rosgrest, all of whom clearly wanted an explanation.

"Tano, what in the six hells are you trying to do here?" Rosgrest whispered fiercely. "What's all this defecting talk? I _really_ hope that I didn't just fall in with a group of traitors to the Republic!"

"No!" Ahsoka hissed, looking anxiously at Sangos. Thankfully, the darksider seemed to have missed it. "We aren't defecting! This was our only way out!"

"Is this part of your top-secret mission that you're on for the Chancellor? If it is, I don't want any part of this. I just want to get out of here!"

"I don't think you have a choice anymore," Ahsoka shot back. "I told her that you're a defector, too."

"WHAT?!"

 _That_ was enough to attract Sangos's attention. She gave Ahsoka a quizzical look and moved her hand toward her blaster.

Ahsoka frantically shook her head, hoping that that and the maniacal smile she'd plastered on her face would be enough to stop the Separatist from coming over.

It did. Sangos, looking almost disappointed, sat back down; and Ahsoka turned back to the conversation with a sigh of relief.

"Pipe down, you fool," she snapped at a freshly cowed Rosgrest.

"So what do we do now?" Jorys asked.

"The way I see it, it's simple. We found our target. And we're gaining her trust. Now all we have to do is figure out how to take down her operation," Ahsoka explained.

"It's a risky plan," Jorys remarked. "But I like it. Any thoughts on it, Senator Chuchi?"

"Oh, I'm all for this," Riyo said. "It's our only chance."

"It's settled, then. We stay here, try to see how deep this Separatist conspiracy goes, figure out how to expose or destroy it, and get out alive," Ahsoka said. "We're in this together, right?"

Edose, Jorys, and Riyo nodded, while Rosgrest shrugged helplessly.

"Great," Ahsoka said. "What did Sangos do to you guys, anyway?"

"Nothing," Jorys said.

Ahsoka blinked. "Nothing?"

"They put me in some interrogation room for about a half-hour, and then she showed up and took me back here without a word."

"That's what happened to me, too," Edose added.

Rosgrest nodded. "Same."

Ahsoka frowned. "That doesn't make any sense. Why would she question Riyo and me but not you guys?"

"If I had to guess," Riyo began, deep in thought, "It almost seems like she wanted to- to- Well, we'll have to stay strong. We've made our decision and there's no backing down now. The Confederation of Independent Systems is our home."

The reason for Riyo's abrupt change of subject was clear, as Sangos was coming up behind them. She shouldered her way into the middle of the group, casually pulling Ahsoka and Riyo back.

"So! You've had long enough to give yourselves a pep talk; now _disperse."_ With a wave, she gestured for Ahsoka and Riyo to follow her to a table. Once they were seated, she spoke again.

"Ahsoka. You asked if I was a Jedi at some point in my life."

Ahsoka shifted uncomfortably. Sango's usage of her first name was unsettling. The only person who called her 'Ahsoka' normally nowadays was Riyo, and Riyo definitely had access to privileges that Sangos didn't have.

"Which youngling clan were you in?" Sangos asked.

The question sent a cold shock through Ahsoka. "So you _were_ a Jedi."

"Only in the loosest sense," Sangos said bitterly. "I lost my chance to be a Jedi Knight long before the Clone Wars started."

"Who were you?"

"I was never anybody. The closest I ever came to being a Jedi was when I was a youngling. My crèche was the Bear Clan."

The mention of _her own youngling clan_ was an even bigger surprise to Ahsoka than finding out that Sangos had once been a Jedi. Had she _seen_ this darksider before, in the halls of the Temple, under much more innocent circumstances? _"When?!"_ she asked.

"It's been eight years," Sangos said. "Eight years since I saw the Temple in person." She fell into silence, gazing off into the distance with a look that could almost be described as wistful. "I used to think it was the most beautiful place in the galaxy."

Then she shook her head, as if to shake away the memory of the Temple. "But that was a different time. I was idealistic. I didn't understand how the galaxy worked yet."

Eight years. Ahsoka had memories from eight years ago. The Bear Clan had been a large one. But there had been at least one other Togruta in her clan. Was Sangos that same Togruta? The thought was saddening and repulsive all at the same time.

"Did you have a different name?"

"No." Sangos gave her a wry smile. "You know, it's ironic that you mention that. My name turned out to be rather prophetic. It's derived from the Togrutan phrase 'I change.'

"What a… coincidence…" Ahsoka managed. "How did you get here?"

"Eight years ago, the Council told me that my time as a Youngling was up, and since no Masters had claimed me as an apprentice, I would be joining the AgriCorps."

She paused and stirred her soup for a few moments before continuing. "The AgriCorps. A noble galactic enterprise composed of Force-sensitives that dropped out of the Jedi Order. Our job was simple enough. Travel to planets in need of a good harvest and lend a hand. Our Force powers, limited as they were, were enough to revitalize even the most starved of farming worlds."

Ahsoka nodded dully. The AgriCorps was nothing new to her. She'd heard plenty about it, especially since she had come so close to being placed within its ranks before she became Anakin's apprentice.

"That was how I lived my life for the next several years. I would visit a world, plant and tend to the crops, dally around for a while, and then once my job was done, the Jedi would assign me to a new planet and I'd travel there in a beat-up freighter that might've dated back to the Great Hyperspace War, and I 'd do the same thing. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat." Through each word of her description, Sangos's voice slowly became more and more disgusted until the end, where she practically spat disdain with each 'repeat.'

"I hated it," Sangos said bluntly. "My existence was pointless. The Jedi couldn't have cared less about me. To them, I was just a tool that could be shunted around the galaxy at will. And the worst part was, I had no way out. The Jedi are _slavers."_

 _Please don't call them slavers. Anakin would hate that. You're calling Anakin a SLAVER. He was a SLAVE once. He knows what slavery is. The Jedi aren't anything like what he's told me about. Slaves don't have a voice. Slaves don't have a free will. The Jedi let us have all of that._

Of course, since she had a cover to keep, Ahsoka didn't say any of those things. She just nodded, encouraging Sangos to continue.

"They controlled me. Told me what to do and where to go and how to spend my time and they never let me accept anything for my work."

Suddenly, Riyo spoke for the first time since Sangos had begun. "Why didn't you leave? If it was such a bad situation for you?"

"I wanted to," Sangos said in a low voice. "But I was _scared,_ Senator. Scared beyond belief of what would happen. Nobody else had dared to leave the Jedi Order in decades. And the only exception was a respected master. What would the Jedi think of a lowly AgriCorps member defying them and following their own path? I didn't _know_ what they would do to me if I tried to escape." Her voice was shaking with real _fear_ now.

"I didn't find the courage to escape until the Clone Wars started. And that, I think, was where my new path began. When the Confederation seceded from the Republic, I was indifferent. When two hundred Jedi died on Geonosis and the Republic declared open war, I couldn't find the incentive to cheer for either side. But when I found out just _how_ the Jedi planned to fight this war, that was when everything changed." Sangos clenched her fist and continued, her voice now tight with barely contained rage.

"For an order that preached love and acceptance of all forms of life, it should have been _sacrilege_ to create an army that was born simply for the purpose of dying."

An ugly feeling rose up in Ahsoka at those words, and she sensed much of the same coming from Riyo.

"But yet, they did. They made a deal with the Kaminoan _slavers._ Bought the lives like they were chips to be bargained with. Stuck guns in the clones' hands and told them to go get shot on a dusty battlefield in the Outer Rim. _Slavers."_

Ahsoka swallowed hard and forced herself to remain composed. Sangos was a Sith, she reminded herself. She was _trying_ to be inflammatory. The Jedi weren't slavers. But the Separatist sounded so sincere that it was getting harder to remember that.

"I could not _believe_ that anything like this could ever happen under the eyes of the Jedi. And what was the Republic itself doing to stop this crime against sentients? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The Senate sat dumbly in their rotunda, forever debating matters of money and taxes that never mean anything."

Sangos pushed aside her soup with an expression of disgust. "I had no reason to stay in the Republic. None at all. So I turned my eyes to the Confederation of Independent Systems." She took a deep breath. "It was like seeing the sun for the first time. They're _better_ than the Republic. But you both know that as well as I do."

Ahsoka glanced at Riyo. "Of course we do…"

"So, I escaped. A month after Geonosis. Jumped off my ship during a supply pickup on Felucia and ran. Never looked back. Then my master found me. The rest is history."

"Is Dooku your master?" Ahsoka probed. There had been rumors in the Order about another Sith Lord, one that was pulling all of the strings in this war and holding control over everything. If Sangos had gone so far without detection by the Jedi, then maybe her master was the hidden Sith?

But Sangos's only response was to smile serenely, revealing nothing. "Classified information," she said. "Sorry."

Ahsoka leaned back. When she opened her mouth, she meant to ask Sangos what she was going to do next, but a monstrous yawn cut off the question.

Sangos raised an eyebrow. "Tired?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, I-"

Sangos cut her off. "Get some food, and then I'll have the guards show you to your quarters. We can discuss other matters tomorrow. It's the middle of the night, after all."

* * *

Ahsoka shut the door to their room and paused, gazing off into space. With a plaintive groan, she let her head drop forward until it rested against the door.

After a few seconds, she felt Riyo slipping an arm across her shoulders.

"What's bothering you, Ahsoka?" she asked quietly. "You feel… sorrowful."

"It's nothing," Ahsoka muttered. "It's stupid of me to even be thinking about it."

"What is it?" Riyo pressed. Her hand began rubbing a circle on Ahsoka's back. "Just going by how you feel in the Force, it seems like it's weighing on you."

"All right." Ahsoka sighed. "It's Sangos."

"What about her?"

"She's freaking me out, Riyo. She reminds me of Barriss so much that it hurts."

Sangos really was like Barriss in some ways. It wasn't just because of the similar circumstances- it was the way both of them talked, the way they held themselves. There had been a disquieting quality to Barriss's voice towards the end, and whenever Sangos talked about the Jedi, Ahsoka heard that same note- a note of fiery and self-righteous hatred. And the fact that Sangos looked like _her_ wasn't making things better. But there was one positive to take out of all this, and this was a positive big enough that she would gladly shoulder the burden Sangos put on her.

She lifted her head and looked Riyo in the eyes. "Thank the Force that Anakin didn't take this mission."

"Why's that?"

"This would _ruin_ him. The way Sangos talks, the way she acts, the way she looks- if you think _I'm_ riled up, Riyo, you should see what she would do to _him._ It would be enough for him to… to do things he wouldn't normally do."

"I see. It has been a long day." Riyo gently pulled Ahsoka around and pulled her into an embrace, nestling her chin into the crook of Ahsoka's neck.

Riyo's sudden boldness shocked Ahsoka until the Pantoran spoke into her ear in a barely audible whisper.

"This room's bugged. There's a camera behind the mirror on that dresser, too. Don't say anything else confidential until we figure something out."

Ahsoka nodded, catching on immediately. "You're right."

Riyo pulled back. "Why don't we get some sleep? We'll deal with everything tomorrow."

"Of course." After placing a kiss on Riyo's forehead that wasn't just for the benefit of maintaining their cover, Ahsoka crawled into their bed.

She'd never slept in a Separatist bed before. It was comfortable. But not even the most luxurious of beds could have gotten her to sleep easily. There was just too much from the last day to think about.

One thing that dominated her thoughts until the moment she drifted off was Sangos. Because Barriss wasn't the only failed Jedi that came to mind when Ahsoka thought about the darksider. A small, fearful part of her mind could see herself in Sangos. It wasn't just the physical resemblance. It was the failed youngling that became disillusioned with the Jedi and left the Order after feeling let down by them. Was there some terrible alternate timeline where Ahsoka took the same path that Sangos did?

She didn't want to think about it.

 **Thanks for reading, and I would love it if you left a review!**

 **Also, check out "Sixty-Six," which is another amazing Riyosoka fic that's just been completed by the wonderful HundredSunsets on Archive Of Our Own, who's been my beta on APSCF for the last two chapters.**


	17. Chapter 17: Loomings

**Chapter 17: Loomings**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **A/N: This chapter's an odd one. FoxFaceFan1, I started out to write the Shaak Ti scene for the 500-word fic, and then it just sort of EXPLODED into this giant Jedi Order scene that makes up the backbone of this admittedly small chapter.** **I wrote this chapter mostly to give a sense of what's going on outside Corellia so that what happens later on makes more sense.**

 **EDIT: An important change has been made to this chapter. Originally, Saesee Tiin was the one who was tasked with going out to find Ahsoka. That has been changed. Shaak Ti is now the one looking for Ahsoka.**

 ** _Jedi Temple, Coruscant_**

Mace Windu leaned forward with a look of intense surprise. "You're sure?"

"I'm completely sure," Plo Koon said, a note of unhappiness in his voice. "Ahsoka Tano is not on Coruscant."

"Complicates things, this does," Yoda said. "Most likely, left the planet with Senator Chuchi, she did."

"But that's impossible!" Agen Kolar cut in. "Master Mundi himself searched Senator Chuchi's ship!"

"If I may remind you," Ki-Adi-Mundi said dryly from his seat, _"I_ did not search that ship. Skywalker's clones searched that ship, while I remained stuck on the surface with engine difficulties. Let us not forget that the 501st used to answer to Tano. They were acting under the orders of Tano's former master. They were outfitted in armor fashioned after Tano. Tano's image is on half of their gunships. I'll wager that their search was about as thorough and impartial as a meeting of the Separatist Senate."

Jedi Master Shaak Ti watched as the rest of the Jedi Council argued back and forth. She shook her head sadly, her lekku swinging slightly. Ever since Ahsoka Tano had left the Order, Skywalker's former apprentice had become one of their most troubling difficulties.

Becoming a bodyguard for Senator Chuchi was no cause for alarm- in fact, it came as a relief to some on the council (including herself) who had worried about Tano's safety. It was the other things that were happening that concerned them. Disturbing reports from Master Koon trickled in about Ahsoka looking for someone to take her to Cato Neimoidia and how she seemed much quicker to anger.

Restricting Tano to Coruscant had been a logical move. She was too volatile, too unknown, too much of a wild card, to risk letting her go out into the galaxy without surveillance. She knew too much about the Republic or the Jedi. If the Separatists got their hands on her- or, Force forbid, she willingly went to them- it would be disastrous.

Then came the incident with Commander Fox, where nobody was sure what had really happened. And then Skywalker came to them in a storm of self-righteous anger and announced that he'd told Tano about everything they'd been doing. Those two incidents had upended all of their carefully-laid plans.

Now Tano had disappeared. The Order wasn't blind to what that could mean.

Eeth Koth cut in, voicing a question that was on the minds of every single person in that room. "What about Skywalker? What's he had to say about all this?"

Shaak suppressed a small urge to sigh. Knight Skywalker was deeply angry with them, too. Just a week ago, he had marched unannounced into a Council meeting, and had told them in no uncertain terms to stay at least three star systems away from his Padawan, or else.

'Or else' had never sounded so menacing until it came out of the mouth of a resentful Anakin Skywalker.

"Oddly enough, he's been completely silent since departing for Felucia," Mundi remarked. "However, his failure to share his thoughts with us might be a warning sign, rather than an encouraging development."

No clarification was needed on Mundi's words. Nearly everyone in the Council understood that it was now only a matter of time before Skywalker left the Jedi Order.

"We could ask Skywalker outright if he's had any contact with Tano," Saesee Tiin suggested. "If he really did order his men to let her escape, then there's a good chance that they've had some sort of correspondence."

The lone Council member who continued to have full faith in Skywalker's loyalty to the Order now spoke up, in the form of the flickering hologram of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"That is out of the question," he said, his voice severe and leaving no room for debate. "Anakin has already been discontented enough by the actions you've taken thus far. Prodding him further about Ahsoka - who has been enough of a flash point for us already- may push him to irrational actions."

Nobody needed to guess at what these 'irrational actions' would be, and the scathing 'you' in Kenobi's words did not go unnoticed among the Council. It would have been unwise to ignore it, too.

Shaak glanced over at Kenobi, considering the role he played in all this. He was close with Skywalker and Tano, and the Council had turned to him in hopes of using him to smooth things over with them. Unfortunately, Kenobi had been coolly unreceptive to anything of the sort.

"Well, we could try-" Stass Allie started to speak, but she stopped as Kenobi stood up, making his hologram shake violently.

"Before anything else is said, I must say some things that have weighed on my mind for the last several weeks," he said, speaking slowly and deliberately.

The Council stiffened.

"Go on, Master Kenobi," Windu said.

"My friends," Kenobi began, turning to address all of them. "Being a member of the High Council is an unbelievable honor. But I must inform you that, for as long as you continue to discuss and handle Ahsoka Tano as if she is an uncooperative _pet,_ I cannot remain a High Council member for long in good conscience. I hope you can find a more palatable resolution to the situation. I am not resigning, but-"

Dead silence fell on the Council as Kenobi paused, seeming to search for suitable words.

"-But I _am_ reconsidering."

Then he glanced off to the side, speaking to someone out of the hologram's view.

"Come again? Ah, I see." He turned back to them. "If you'll excuse me. Responsibilities call."

"Of course, Master Kenobi. May the Force be with you," Windu said.

"To you, too." With that, Kenobi's hologram disappeared, leaving the Council in silence.

When Shaak spoke, she knew she was voicing the common sentiment in the room.

"We're already losing control of Skywalker. This new stance from Kenobi will only accelerate his estrangement."

All eyes turned to her, sensing the importance of the coming words; and she took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts.

"We _must_ find Tano," she began. "She is the key to holding together our image. Skywalker goes as she goes. If Skywalker leaves, it will be a devastating blow to us in the public eye. We cannot afford to lose another talented, popular Jedi in the fog of war. Tano's departure was already our worst publicity, quite literally, in centuries."

"And where Skywalker goes, I feel that a significant number of Jedi could follow," Windu added. "After Offee, who knows how many in our ranks are holding real grudges against us?"

With a deep frown, Yoda spoke. "The beginnings of a schism, this could be."

 _Schism._

An uneasy pulse spread through the Force. The mere word sent a slow wave of foreboding up Shaak's lekku. Schisms in the Order had very nearly been their undoing several times in past millennia. Every single one of them had ended in bloodshed and left a sprawling stain of the Dark Side on the galaxy that took generations to scrub away.

The Order would do anything short of completely their morals to avoid a schism. That was why Tano had to be found. Skywalker's loyalty was directly tied to her, and the health of the Order depended on the loyalty of Skywalker.

Yoda rapped his stick on his chair, bringing everyone's attention back to him. "If find Tano we can, then speak to her, we can and an understanding, we may reach. Then, appease Skywalker we can, and avoid these conflicts."

A murmur of agreement swept through the Council.

"Indeed." Tiin leaned forward. "In my opinion, we need to send one of us to track down Tano."

Windu nodded. "I agree." He scrutinized the Council for a moment before his eyes came to rest on a Jedi opposite Shaak.

"Master Koon?" Windu asked. "You've had the most experience with Tano thus far. Do you wish to take the mission?"

"No," Plo said, shaking his head. "I would only anger her further if I found her."

Shaak felt a spark of sympathy as she looked at Master Koon. He had been close with Ahsoka, and he had been deeply affected both by her departure and their subsequent interactions. Even if tracking Ahsoka had helped the Council, it had been a painful process for him.

"I understand, Master Koon. Another one of us that had less interaction with Tano would make for a smoother encounter." Windu scanned the room, and his gaze landed on Shaak. "Master Ti. You don't have to return to Kamino for another week, do you?"

"That's correct," Shaak said. "If you are offering the mission to me, I would be honored to take it."

"Excellent." Windu took out his datapad and glanced over it before continuing. "Follow Senator Chuchi's trail. It seems that she disappeared after arriving on Pantora a few days ago. I have a feeling that she's with Tano."

"I will do it," she said. "When do you want me to leave?"

"As soon as possible," Windu said. "In fact, you may be dismissed to begin your mission now."

Shaak rose from her chair. "Of course." But before she could leave, a terrible question occurred to her. "I have but one question. What should I do if it Tano is in league with the Separatists?"

There was a long, pregnant pause, as everyone in the room considered the subject that they had been desperate to avoid until now.

Tano, a Separatist. It was something frighteningly realistic and immeasurably dangerous. Between Pong Krell and Count Dooku, Tano fell much closer to the Sith Lord in terms of what she could do to the Republic's chances at victory.

"Your goal, regardless of Tano's allegiances, is to bring her here alive, Master Ti," Windu said. "We'll figure out what needs to be done once we have her."

"It will be done," Shaak said, bowing. She walked out, and an uneasy hum ran through the Force as she left the room.

Once alone in the halls, she considered how bleak things were becoming and shook her head. This war was perhaps the most damaging thing to happen to the Order in centuries, and this was while they were _winning._ Their best hope was to keep Skywalker in the Order until the war was over and hope his departure wouldn't cause too much of a stir. When their best scenario was to have one of their most powerful Jedi leave later rather than sooner, things were not going well. They needed every bit of goodwill that they could get. They needed Skywalker. And when they needed Skywalker, they needed Tano.

Their choices with Tano were for the good of the Jedi, and transitively, the Republic. So why did the Force continue to whisper warnings in her ear?

* * *

What the Jedi had failed to notice, in their anxiety, was that there were two microphones in that room listening to the conversation. One was built into a holoprojector that had just been shut off. The other was buried deep inside the wall.

* * *

 ** _Felucia_**

On the bridge of the _Dynasty,_ in orbit above Felucia, Obi-Wan switched off his holoprojector's microphone, quietly considering everything he'd just heard, and turned to Anakin to see what his former apprentice thought.

"Espionage against the Jedi, Obi-Wan. I didn't think you had it in you," Anakin said. His attempt at humor was somewhat ruined by his despondent grimace.

Obi-Wan smiled slightly. "All I did was leave my microphone on. That's hardly treason." Then his face grew solemn. "But now we've heard what they wouldn't tell us. What do you think?"

Anakin scowled. "They're not backing down on Ahsoka."

"A regrettable choice."

"I don't want to think about what they're planning to do if they find her." Anakin stood up and walked over to the viewport. For a minute, he gazed out at the planet below in a troubled silence.

"I'll tell you what," he said finally. "They can send all the Jedi they want. They won't find her."

"Anakin…" Obi-Wan stared at his turned back. "It's painfully obvious that you helped Ahsoka escape."

Anakin whipped around and stared at Obi-Wan with wide eyes, but said nothing.

Obi-Wan pressed further. "Do you know where she is now?"

Anakin's eyes darted from side to side. "Well… I…"

Obi-Wan came up to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. "Be honest. It will only help her."

Suddenly, Anakin grabbed Obi-Wan by the shoulders and looked him in the eye with an intense stare. "Promise me. Promise me that you won't tell them where she is."

"I promise that I will not tell anyone else about this," Obi-Wan said immediately.

Anakin nodded, satisfied, and spoke easily. "Corellia. She's on Corellia."

"Corellia?" Obi-Wan visibly relaxed. "That's… better than I expected, actually."

"She's, um, trying to destroy a Separatist cell there," Anakin added.

Obi-Wan blinked. "I take that back. _What did you get her into?!"_

"You know her. Try to understand," Anakin pleaded. "She was going to go crazy if she kept sitting on the sidelines."

"Do you understand that the Council now has a legitimate reason to arrest her? They can say she's interfering with the war effort!"

"Like they needed a legitimate reason before?" Anakin retorted.

Obi-Wan stopped short. "That's…"

"Well, they won't find her," Anakin repeated. "If they do…" His voice hardened. "…They'll regret it."

"So they may." Obi-Wan rubbed his forehead. "I can't be angry that you sent her to Corellia. I feel the same way about her."

He paused to fiddle with his comlink, clearly in dread of what he had to say next, but continued on resolutely. "I don't mean to keep the conversation unpleasant, but we have to talk about the other half of the Council's conversation."

"Yes," Anakin said bitterly. "About me."

"They don't trust you."

"They're jumping at shadows. They can't tell who's the enemy and who's not anymore." Anakin shook his head. "I guess they think I'm as bad as Dooku and the rest of the Separatists…" He trailed off briefly. "A threat. That's right. They think I'll cause a _schism."_ His voice was full of scorn. "I was mad at them, but I never really wanted to leave the Order until _now…_ Maybe I should actually try and cause a schism, just to prove them right and see what they think."

"Anakin!"

"Would you come with me?" Anakin asked abruptly. "If I tried to start a new order?"

Obi-Wan, now looking horrified, reached out with a cautious hand. "Anakin, please. You're not thinking clearly. Once this war is over, I am _sure_ that the Council will adopt a less intrusive stance towards Ahsoka. And you."

"But that's the problem," Anakin said. "By the time the war is over, it'll be too late to undo what they've already done."

"Don't be so pessimistic. You may doubt yourself, but you would be surprised by how much influence you can have on the Council. Perhaps you can talk some sense into them before the end of the war."

"Yeah... Talk..." Anakin turned to look out the window. "They need to be fixed somehow. Maybe not by talking."

* * *

 ** _Coruscant_**

The other microphone was not listening in for any morally justifiable purpose. It had been placed deep in the wall during a renovation of the Temple more than a decade ago. The man who had placed that microphone there was listening intently, and only when the Jedi had disbanded did he shut off his microphone.

Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, also known as the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, leaned back and gleefully contemplated what he had heard.

Tano continued to be an unexpectedly helpful thorn in the side of the Order, diverting their attention and in turn allowing him even more freedom in his actions. At this rate, their blunders could make up for the momentum he'd lost when the Sector Governance Bill failed. And from the sound of it, they were doing all the work for him in getting Skywalker to turn to the Dark Side.

Granted, he hadn't seen Skywalker very much in the past two months, but it was obvious that he still held Skywalker's trust. The surest sign of this was that he was the only one who knew where Skywalker was. The Council thought he was on Felucia, and Kenobi… Kenobi seemed to have no idea where Skywalker was, too.

Putting aside his plotting for a moment, Palpatine picked up his datapad and began skimming through the recent messages. And then a small one-sentence message from an important sender caught his eye.

 ** _I have received the target you directed me to wait for, and I am proceeding with the Downfall Protocol.  
-S_**

A smile spread over Palpatine's face. And here was the best proof of how well his plans were proceeding.

Mia Sangos, while extremely lacking in Force abilities and skill, had a cunning only rivaled by Dooku himself. She would fix the setbacks that he'd had with turning Skywalker thus far. Really, the fact that one of his underlings just happened to be a fallen youngling with an astonishing resemblance to Skywalker's former Padawan was the surest sign that the Force was in his favor.

His instructions had been intentionally vague, of course- he had only told Sangos to await a Jedi that he would send. It wouldn't do for her to expose his plans for Skywalker if she was captured and interrogated.

With Sangos executing his plan, it was only a matter of time before Skywalker would be perfectly primed to fall into his hands. Operation Knightfall was on the horizon. The Jedi would be dead before the month was out.

And then he would be the ruler of it _all._

* * *

But even as the Dark Lord of the Sith schemed, his carefully laid plans for domination of the galaxy were being altered. In place of Skywalker were Tano and Chuchi, both of whom would take very differently to the dark agenda being pushed on them. The galaxy's fate was unsettled again, and the two women who would now decide it still had no idea of what was to come. While the Force whispered of increasingly unavoidable turmoil, they slept peacefully, young and in love and unaware of the gathering storm.

 **EDIT: An important change has been made to this chapter. Originally, Saesee Tiin was the one who was tasked with going out to find Ahsoka. That has been changed. Shaak Ti is now the one looking for Ahsoka.**

 **So, 17 chapters and 75,000 words are up now. This is kind of incredible. It's hard to believe I would've ever gotten this far. As always, I would love it if you left a review/follow/favorite! I'm on Christmas break, so I could get another chapter out in just a few days! Have a good day, everyone. Air Force Muffin out.**


	18. Chapter 18: Leia

**Chapter 18: Leia**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **A/N: This chapter was not planned until I heard the devastating news yesterday that Carrie Fisher died. I'm actually crying as I type this. It's hit me hard. She was such a good person and I can't believe she's gone. This chapter is a tribute to Carrie Fisher and her character. Leia will appear much later on in this story in a greater capacity, but I couldn't let Carrie's death go without any tribute on my part. This chapter is part of the A Path She Couldn't Follow universe, and it takes place during the events of chapter 17.**

All was quiet that night.

The wind, always blowing, had fallen still for a moment, and a quiet calm had fallen over Naboo's Lake Country.

The lake, pitch-black with night's colors, reflected the twinkling stars above as if it were a mirror. Closer to shore, bright squares of illumination blazed from the windows of a lakeside villa, turning the water golden.

This was Varykino, the centuries-old vacation retreat of the Naberrie family. The house would have been silent but for one sound- the quiet crying of a child.

One of the rooms in the house had been converted to a makeshift nursery by its current inhabitants. Two cribs stood in the center of the room, with a large assortment of baby care items filling the shelves and floors. A mattress had been deposited in the middle of the room, and from there, someone was woken by the sound of the crying baby.

Rising from the mattress, the figure stumbled towards the crib, shaking off a deep sleep. As she reached into the crib and lifted out the crying child, a sound of feet padding on the floor came towards the nursery. A second figure appeared in the doorway.

"Is Leia all right, Sabe?" Padme Amidala asked, yawning.

Sabe Amaryllis, Padme's former handmaiden and current bodyguard, looked up.

"She just woke up in the middle of her nap, that's all. She should fall back asleep soon."

"Is Luke all right?"

"Fast asleep."

"That's good." Padme moved forward, holding out her arms. "Here, let me take Leia."

Sabe gently placed Leia in Padme's outstretched arms as the baby continued to cry.

"Shhh, shhh, shhh…" Padme whispered, rocking the child in her arms. "Don't worry, Leia. I'm here."

Leia's crying quieted ever so slightly.

"You can go back to sleep," Padme said to Sabe. "I'll take care of Leia for now."

With a muttered 'thank you,' Sabe practically collapsed back onto the mattress, and Padme smiled. Her visit to Varykino to give birth had been a secret one, and in order to avoid attention, Sabe had been the only bodyguard to accompany her. She had been a tremendous help, even if she was pushing herself a little too hard.

Padme rocked Leia again. "Shhh, darling. Do you want to see the stars?"

Although still crying, Leia grasped Padme's thumb with her tiny hand in a gesture that could be interpreted as _yes._

"All right." Padme walked out of the room and made her way to the terrace.

It was a beautiful night. While it had been warm during the day, the air had cooled off as night fell and now it was just the right temperature. The clear night and lack of light pollution had allowed for a sparkling blanket of stars to be flung across the sky.

Padme adjusted the swath of blankets around her daughter's face so that she could see the stars fully.

"Do you see them, Leia?" she asked.

Leia looked up at the stars, still crying, but with a growing look of curiosity. And then, miraculously, as she looked, her crying began to lessen. In a few moments, she was completely silent, staring at the stars with a rapt expression.

Padme looked into the face of her daughter, smiling at how the stars reflected off Leia's irises and made it look like there was a galaxy within her eyes.

"They're beautiful. Just like you," she said softly.

Leia made a content gurgle, eyes still fixated on the stars. Her eyelids fluttered, but refused to close.

"Someday, you'll fly across those stars," Padme said. "All on your own."

Leia's eyes drooped and her breathing slowed, lulled by Padme's gentle rocking and calming voice, until finally, her eyes closed.

Padme looked lovingly at Leia as she carried her back inside to the nursery. If what Ahsoka had said was true- that the babies were Force-sensitive- then Leia would be like her father. Strong. Powerful. Loving.

Leia would be like Padme, too. Smart. Cunning. Determined.

Of course, Luke would be all of those things as well, but Leia was the one in her arms right now, who had fallen asleep while gazing up at the galaxy like it was her destiny.

Leia Amidala-Skywalker was going to be a queen in her own right.

 **Rest in peace, Carrie Fisher.**


	19. Chapter 19: Dark Agenda

**Chapter 19: Dark Agenda**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **IMPORTANT NOTE: I made a small but important change to Chapter 16- mainly, I've changed the Jedi searching for Ahsoka. It's Shaak Ti now, not Saesee Tiin.**

 **Hey, everyone. I just wanted to thank you all for the wonderful responses you've left for the last two chapters. I'm awed and flattered by the amount of positive feedback you've left. December was a big month for APSCF. The story's passed 15,000 views and it's closing in on 100 followers. Happy 2017, everyone. Here's to a year filled with Star Wars! Happy reading!**

 ** _Corellia_**

When Ahsoka opened her eyes the next morning, the first thing she saw was Riyo's peaceful face just inches away from hers.

Her breath hitched as she gazed at her sleeping partner. Riyo was breathtakingly _beautiful._ There was no other way to describe her.

She reached out with a finger, letting it hover just centimeters above Riyo's skin, and in that manner, she traced the finger all over every one of Riyo's features, doing her best to imprint the face in her memory. She didn't want to ever forget this face.

Riyo's lips, slightly pursed in sleep, looked welcomingly soft. Ahsoka couldn't resist. She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on them.

And then she remembered where she was.

There was a _camera_ hidden in this room. Some Separatist _creep_ was probably sitting in a dark room and observing them right now. And if Sangos was watching them right now, that was even worse. Kriff, she would kill for some privacy.

Riyo stirred next to her and slowly opened her eyes.

"Ahsoka?" she mumbled, running her hand over Ahsoka's arm. "Is something wrong? You feel… exasperated."

"No, nothing's wrong." Ahsoka scowled. "I'm just not entirely too comfortable with our current situation."

Riyo stiffened, gripping Ahsoka's arm a little more tightly as she took her turn remembering yesterday's events.

"We are in an interesting position, aren't we?" she asked, sounding much more alert.

"Yeah. Welcome to Corellia."

Riyo leaned over, pulling the blankets up around them. "We need to find somewhere where we can talk safely," she muttered.

And that was when an idea occurred to Ahsoka. It was outlandish. It was incredibly stupid. It was the sort of idea that would only work in a cheesy holofilm. But they were already practically inside the plot of a cheesy holofilm already, so why not?

She leaned over, putting her mouth inches away from Riyo's ear. "I've got an idea," she whispered. "The people watching us may be Separatists, but they're still people. I know how to get them to leave us alone for a while."

"How?"

"We get under the covers and we trick them into thinking we're having sex."

Riyo was silent for so long after that that Ahsoka started to worry that she'd crossed a line. But then she broke into quiet laughter, and answered with something Ahsoka definitely didn't expect.

"Ahsoka, if you want to take our relationship to another level that badly, you can just ask."

"What? No!" Ahsoka hissed. Then she reconsidered such a fierce denial. "No, it's not that I _don't_ want to do it with you, I want to do it with you- it's just that I don't want to do it right now- we're inside an enemy stronghold-"

She forced herself to stop and get back to the matter at hand. "Do you think it's a good idea?"

Riyo squinted at her. "What exactly were you planning to do?"

Ahsoka shrugged. "It wouldn't be that hard, right? We just have to make it look real. They're Separatists. I bet they're easily fooled."

Riyo glanced around for a second before replying. "Okay, it's worth a shot."

Ahsoka's mind screeched to a halt. "Wait, really?"

"You're right. The microphones won't hear us through the blankets."

Never in a million years would Ahsoka have thought that Riyo was actually going to agree to this. "You're okay with doing this?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

"Definitely. Now we've got to make it look convincing."

"How-" Ahsoka started to ask, but she was cut off when Riyo pulled her into a flaming kiss and, for several seconds, all conscious thought left her head.

When they broke apart, panting and with eyes ever so slightly glazed, Ahsoka had to know one thing.

"Are you acting?" she muttered, bringing her arms around Riyo's neck.

"Not at all," was Riyo's reply, and that was all it took for Ahsoka to realize that okay, yeah, this was going to be unlike anything else she'd ever done.

"Neither am I," she whispered, and then they collided again, rubbing up against each other and-

 _Focus!_

While they were still locked together, Ahsoka reached up with an arm and pulled the blankets completely over them, and now they were laying together in darkness, and oh kriff, she _really_ wanted-

"Ahsoka?" Riyo murmured.

"Huh?"

"How are we going to contact the Republic for help?"

The Republic? Why were they talking about the Republic right now?

"I… uh…"

Their position wasn't helping Ahsoka think. Riyo was pressing against her in a way that was _really_ distracting.

"Ahsoka?"

 _So warm…_

"AHSOKA."

The serious tone in Riyo's voice pulled Ahsoka out of her daze. "Huh?"

"Can you concentrate, or are we going to forget about having a covert conversation?"

 _PULL IT TOGETHER!_ Ahsoka snapped at herself. She would have absolutely _loved_ to forgo talking about the mission and move on to… _other_ things, but her duty really had priority. First things first, though.

"Riyo… Could you move… maybe an inch backwards?"

Riyo shifted. "Sorry."

Ahsoka let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as the not-at-all-unpleasant pressure on her lifted. "Thanks… Right. Contacting the Republic. Uh… I don't think we can do that. If the Jedi find out where I am, they'll arrest me in no time, and… You might get brought in, too. "

"True…. What if we sent in the information anonymously?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "It'll take more than an anonymous tip for the Republic to mobilize an army big enough to take out all this."

"Hmm. What, then?"

Ahsoka racked her brains for an idea. "…We could try to take down this operation by ourselves?"

"Us four? Against a small army?" Riyo asked. "We have no idea how big Sangos's operation is. Trying to stop this now could be like poking a sleeping krayt dragon."

"True. I guess that wouldn't work. We could…" Ahsoka thought for a moment. "Hang on."

"What is it?"

"Anakin gave us this mission. We could figure out a way to relay information to him. He can expose Sangos for us, so we'll avoid the attention. If there's a good transmitter around here, I can hotwire it and tap into his cruiser's channel."

"That's perfect," Riyo said. "But before we do anything else, we need to figure out her plans and what she's capable of."

"Good point. So we play the part of good little Separatists and gather as much as intel as possible for now?"

"Agreed. We'll tell Jorys and Edose the plan." Riyo furrowed her brow. "What about the smuggler?"

"Rosgrest?" Ahsoka scoffed. "Let him do what he wants. We're not telling him anything."

"No disagreement there."

"Yup." Ahsoka paused, listening closely to the Force to see if their attempt at deception was working. "Do you think we actually look like we're… you know?" she asked.

"To be honest? No."

Ahsoka sighed and pulled away from the Force. "Yeah, you're right. We probably look like two idiots messing around under a blanket."

"Don't worry. Besides-" Riyo drew closer- "I've learned that if you want to _actually_ do this as much as I want to do it, then I think we'll be doing it very soon."

Ahsoka nearly passed out right then and there, but through a stupendous effort, got a reply out. "W-when?"

"After this mission is over, if you'd like that?"

Ahsoka would've liked that _very_ much, but before she could say so, a loud knocking on the door interrupted them.

Ahsoka shot up so fast that she managed to get tangled in the blankets while trying to jump off the bed, which resulted in her falling to the floor with a resounding _CRASH._

"Kriff it all," she groaned, struggling to remove herself from a downy comforter that was trying to meld itself to her body. "Riyo–"

Her girlfriend was already one step of her as she crossed the room, and Riyo pulled open the door to reveal Sangos standing there.

"Good morning–?" Sangos took in the sight of Ahsoka on the ground. "Have I… interrupted something?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"NO! No, you haven't!" Ahsoka snapped as she finally tugged one of her legs free from the blanket. "What do you want?"

"I've got good news for you," Sangos said. "But if I've come at a bad time…"

Ahsoka stiffened. What could possibly pass for good news in this den of traitors?

Riyo shot Ahsoka a worried look before turning back to Sangos. "What is it?" she asked.

"I've arranged for a ship to arrive in five days to take you to Raxus."

An involuntary shudder went through Ahsoka. Raxus. The Separatist capital. The beating heart of the galaxy's insurrection.

She stood up. "That's… that's wonderful. Amazing."

"Just thought you ought to know," Sangos said. "I'll leave you alone for now, but try to come out soon. I'd like to get to know you both better."

With that, she closed the door.

Ahsoka stood up, making eye contact with Riyo. Dread was plainly visible in her eyes, as they both knew what this meant. They only had five days to bring down Sangos. They needed a plan.

* * *

Having found her way to the mess hall a few minutes later, Ahsoka began helping herself to a plate of food from a buffet. Several nearby Separatists were giving her looks that ranged from curious to fearful, but none of them approached her. Either they were wary of the Jedi who had racked up an impressive number of victories on the battlefield, or they thought she was Sangos.

Speaking of Sangos…

Ahsoka glanced around and saw her sitting alone at a table. Taking her food, she walked over and sat down across from her.

"Hello," she said.

"Ahsoka," Sangos said, looking up. "I hoped you would come over." She looked around. "Where's Senator Chuchi?"

"Still in the room. She wanted to go back to sleep," Ahsoka said, lying through her teeth.

In actuality, she was carrying out her half of a plan they'd hastily put together less than ten minutes ago.

One of them would scout out the base and find out as much as they could, and, and the other would keep Sangos occupied. Riyo was somewhere in the building. Now Ahsoka had to do her job.

"I see." Sangos speared a piece of meat with her fork. "I can tell that you've got some questions."

"Oh, yes," Ahsoka said. "Lots."

Sangos leaned back. "Ask anything you want. I can't always guarantee an answer, though."

"Sure." Ahsoka nodded. "So, why exactly are you on Corellia? What are you doing here?"

"Good question." Sangos put down her fork. "We're an intelligence outfit. If you haven't noticed, Corellia's one of the biggest manufacturers of ship parts for the Republic military. We record the specs of everything made on Corellia that the Republic military uses." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a datapad. "I can tell you the top speed and maximum firepower of those Z-95 Headhunters that the Republic uses to such great effect. I can tell you the hyperdrive capabilities of those Low Altitude Assault Transports that make up the backbone of their navy." Having turned the datapad on, she slid it across the table to Ahsoka. "Take a look at this. It might interest you."

Ahsoka picked up the datapad, and her eyes widened as she took in the information on the screen before her. It was a _very_ detailed schematics list for a _Jedi Starfighter._ It had everything- from the composition of metals used to build it to the firing power of its guns to its hyperdrive coefficients. This information was of the highest confidentiality, and it was in the hands of the Separatists. This was… a serious threat.

Sangos took the datapad back from Ahsoka and continued on. "We take that information- all of it- and pass it onto the higher-ups on Raxus. This is useful information. By knowing what the Republic military's fleets are capable of, we can create strengths where they have weaknesses."

With a sinking heart, Ahsoka was starting to see that this operation was much, _much_ more far-reaching than she'd originally thought.

"…How?" she asked. "How did you get all this?"

Sangos leaned forward. "Corellia's an interesting planet. Fiercely self-reliant, never been too dependent on the Republic. That's the sort of climate that breeds an interest in the individual rights of systems. So, when the war started, there was a hotbed of Separatist sympathizers in Coronet City. The place was practically begging to have a Separatist cell placed there. They were just looking for the right person to lead them. And that's when I came in."

Sangos nodded at a table of Separatists to their right. "Nearly all of the people here were actually born and raised on Corellia. Most of them have homes elsewhere in the city."

Ahsoka looked over at the occupants of the other tables. When she really looked at these people, they didn't look like an enemy at all. This could have been a factory mess hall like a thousand others on Corellia, and these people could've been any of the countless workers that worked in them. In fact, that was probably what many of these Separatists were. They just happened to engage in a little espionage and high treason on the side.

"How have you not been found out?" she asked. "This is still a Republic stronghold. You can't trust anyone."

Sangos smirked and propped up her head on her chin. For a moment, the yellow in her eyes glowed brightly, and a dark pulse in the Force resonated against Ahsoka.

"You underestimate my power," she said.

Even though she'd gone up against some of the worst the Separatists had to offer, Ahsoka couldn't fight back a momentary chill.

"But the stolen weapons shipments?" she asked, grappling for a change of subject. "That doesn't fit your operation. It's too high-profile."

"Oh, weapons smuggling was never our main objective," Sangos said. "It was just a coincidence that Xuton Guel owned a warehouse." Her face darkened. "Coincidentally, he was a dirty thief."

"You don't say?" It wasn't hard for Ahsoka to imagine that someone related to Kevor Rosgrest could be a thief. "But why did you recruit Guel, then?"

"He was a sympathizer with resources. Resources that we needed." Sangos pointed at the ceiling. "This base that you're in? It was an empty warehouse that Guel owned until he let us move in. He furnished us with weapons that he took from his other warehouses." Sangos paused briefly. "Now, granted, that was idiotic, due to the fact that he did it with the subtlety of a rampaging rancor- enough to get noticed by the Chancellor, it seems. Thank the Force he gave you this mission instead of a less sympathetic Jedi."

Ahsoka shifted uncomfortably. "Yes. What luck, indeed. So what happened to Guel?"

Sangos curled her lip in disgust. "I guess he got cold feet. He stole thirty thousand credits from us, disappeared, and left his buffoon of a brother to take the fall." She looked askance at Ahsoka. "It's curious that you know his brother, actually. Care to explain that?"

Ahsoka's heart stopped momentarily before she realized she had nothing to fear. "Oh, uh- He swindled me before. Left me in a pretty bad situation. I've been meaning to get even with him."

"I see. You know, it's good that he's also sympathetic to the Separatist cause. I would've had to kill him otherwise."

Ahsoka nodded. "…That's good."

"Mmhm."

Sangos worked away at her breakfast for a few minutes in silence before she abruptly spoke again.

"You know, the way that you ask questions… it's enough to make someone think that you're… up to something."

"Wha-" Ahsoka tried to speak, gasp, and swallow her food all at the same time, which resulted in her choking on a piece of meat. She spent the next few seconds hacking loudly, and when the food was finally dislodged with a tiny twist of the Force, she made a supreme effort to hide her shock.

"I- I'm not up to anything at all," she said.

Then she mentally slapped herself. Even a _battle droid_ would have a hard time believing a faltering denial like the one she'd just thrown out.

Sangos, who was clearly smarter than a battle droid, tilted her head, skepticism showing on her face. "Really, now?"

Kriff. Damage control. Damage control. She wasn't good at this sort of 'talk with the enemy' stuff. That was Obi-Wan's area of mastery. Hell, Obi-Wan once had a _tea party_ with a Confederate general in the middle of a battle on Christophsis. Now _that_ was skill. She was praying to the Force that some of that had rubbed off on her.

"I'm sorry if I seem nosy," she said hurriedly. "I just have so many questions. I guess it's because I want to know more about you."

"Oh?" Sangos leveled a probing gaze at Ahsoka, but the skepticism began to recede from her expression.

"I… I want to know your, um, story. You said you were a youngling once. I… remember another Togruta youngling in the Temple– long ago. Was that you?"

"Do you think it was me?"

"There weren't very many Togruta younglings my age, so…" Ahsoka stared. "It _was_ you."

Sangos shrugged casually. "Maybe. Maybe not. I don't care to think much about my time in the Temple, so I couldn't say much either way."

"I can understand that," Ahsoka said. This was, oddly enough, a point where she agreed a little with Sangos.

"That reminds me, actually." Sangos stood up. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

Ahsoka stood up. "Uh, sure."

Sangos led her out of the cafeteria and into a dizzying maze of halls that seemed to keep branching off into endless side passages.

"Big place," Ahsoka remarked as they walked

"Two million square feet before we moved in," Sangos said. "We don't even use most of it. You could put a whole army in here." She smirked. "In fact…"

Ahsoka froze. "Oh Force, don't tell me-"

Sangos pointed at the ground. "There's almost five thousand battle droids under your feet right now," she said. "An entire regiment."

Reflexively, Ahsoka moved back. "What are they here for? That's enough firepower to take over the entire city!"

"We aren't stupid enough to try that. They're a last resort. If we're ever discovered and we need to escape, we unleash them as a distraction. It'd be pure chaos."

Five thousand battle droids unleashed into the city with the express purpose of causing destruction. Ahsoka shuddered at the thought of the damage that would do.

They went up a twisting staircase that ended at a door with a keypad, and it was here that Sangos came to a stop. She bent down in front of the keypad, but before touching it, she stopped and looked up at Ahsoka.

"Look away," she said.

"Sure." Ahsoka turned her head, but she didn't stop paying attention. Her montrals could sense plainly enough the passcode that Sangos was punching into the keypad.

2187\. Ahsoka committed the code to memory as the door slid open.

"Come in," Sangos said, entering the room and beckoning for Ahsoka to follow.

The room they entered was hemispherical, with a window-lined wall that curved around them. The view outside went on for miles. Below them was the flat top of the warehouse, as big as the ones in Coruscant's Freight District. Ahead of her, the skyline of Coronet City loomed in the morning haze.

"Nice view, isn't it?" Sangos asked. "There's sight lines on all the roads around us from up here. Makes it perfect for sniping."

Well, that was cheerful. Ahsoka turned away from the window. "Where are we?" she asked.

"The radio tower," Sangos said.

 _The radio tower!_ A thrill rose up in Ahsoka. Where there was a radio tower, there was a – a–

She turned in a circle and saw exactly what she needed in the corner. A big, blocky transmitting booth that looked like it was ripped right out of a starship and dropped into the room. That was it. That was how she could get in contact with Anakin.

"What did you come up here for, anyway?" she asked, looking away from the transmitter before Sangos could notice.

"This." Sangos walked over to a door off to the side and opened it. Before she entered and closed it behind her, Ahsoka caught a glimpse of a cluttered room with a bed in the corner. If she had to hazard a guess, that was Sangos's bedroom.

A few moments later, Sangos emerged, holding a pouch that easily fit in her hand.

"What's that?" Ahsoka asked.

"This," Sangos said, "Is my past, present, and future."

She pulled on the drawstring and tipped out the contents into the palm of her hand. Two gleaming white crystals fell out.

Lightsaber crystals.

Ahsoka inhaled sharply. "Are those yours?"

"This is where my real story starts," Sangos said.

"Where did you get them? Ilum?"

There was a million different ways Sangos could've gotten those, and most of them involved killing a-

"No." Sangos shook her head. "Ilum's not the only place that you can find Kyber crystals."

"But… where?"

Sangos fingered the crystals. "Felucia. The Force is alive there… wild… and _untamed."_

"There's also a war going on there,"

Something about the crystals seemed odd to Ahsoka, and it took her a few moments to realize it.

"They aren't red," she said. "Don't you want them to be red?"

Sangos let out a short laugh. "I see you've still got a lot to learn about the Dark Side, Tano."

"Well, I like to know as little as possible about it," Ahsoka said.

"Since you asked so _nicely,_ I'll explain it for you. It's impossible to just _find_ a red crystal. They don't exist in nature."

"Then… how?"

"We _turn_ the crystal red." Sangos held up one of the crystals between her thumb and forefinger and sent a pulse of dark energy into it. "The Dark Side _dominates_ it, and the red crystal becomes a symbol of the power we wield."

Ahsoka watched with morbid fascination as the crystal took on a slight tinge of red.

Sangos's tone turned contemplative as she held the incarnadine crystal. "Getting these crystals was the first thing I did after escaping the AgriCorps. Never letting me have a lightsaber was just one of many freedoms the Jedi withheld from me, and they did much worse, but I always hated more than anything else the fact that they never gave me a lightsaber. The Jedi said that having a lightsaber was a privilege, that it was a great responsibility that only the best could take on, and you know what?"

Sangos's hands clenched into fists. "They were _wrong._ Anyone can wield a lightsaber with a little practice. Look at Pre Viszla. He ruled all of Mandalore with a darksaber, and he didn't have an ounce of Force-sensitivity in him. But somehow, the Jedi think that only _they_ can have lightsabers, because they're such high and mighty beings that can lord over us all. And this is the biggest problem with the Jedi Order, and the biggest reason why my life's goal is their eradication." Her words tailed off into a hiss. "They think they're _better_ than everyone else. But they _aren't._ They think that they can control the galaxy. But they _can't."_ Sangos stopped and looked at Ahsoka. "You understand this, of course. You've seen it firsthand."

Ahsoka nodded numbly, signaling for Sangos to continue.

Satisfied, Sangos went on. "The Jedi became so complacent and close-minded that they refused to change, and that's the reason why the Republic stagnated. It's their fault, and their fault alone, that the galaxy is in such a terrible state today! This war wouldn't have happened without them!"

No. Ahsoka _knew_ that none of that was true. Sangos was lying.

"But enough about that. I still have to finish my story. So. Two Kyber crystals. A bag of clothing. A few worthless credits. That's what I had when I arrived on Raxus a month after Geonosis. But I was the happiest I'd ever been. I was safe from the Jedi."

Sangos was actually _smiling_ now, and it didn't look like a fake smile, either. It was a smile of genuine relief, a smile of someone who'd been liberated from a great evil.

Ahsoka was starting to pity Sangos. She had so much to offer to the galaxy, but by conspiracies of fate, she'd ended up on the wrong side of the battlefield while harboring the absolute belief that the Jedi were in the wrong.

Where had she seen this before?

 _Barriss._

There was so much of Barriss in Sangos. It was like a bizarre look into what the Mirialan could have become if she defected to the Separatists.

Ahsoka looked back to the crystals in Sangos's hands, where the angry red was still spreading, staining the white surface an ugly color. An urge to stop the unnatural transformation rose up in her.

"Can I hold them?" she asked impulsively.

Sangos didn't object- on the contrary, she looked pleased, and Ahsoka wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"Handle them with care. They're my life," she said, pressing the crystals into Ahsoka's hand with infinite caution.

Ahsoka stared at them. They were cold. Colder than she'd expected. When she'd found her own crystals, they'd felt familiar, like a warm hand of friendship. In comparison, these felt like nothing more than normal gemstones. The only clue to their true value was the ripple they created in the Force.

But then, as she held them, a small warmth reached her fingertips– a tiny thread of heat stretching from the heart of the crystals. The Force flickered like a newly lit candle, and the red stopped bleeding into the white. But it didn't recede, leaving an ugly mix of red and white on the crystals.

"It's accepting you," Sangos said. "Just as I thought."

"What?" Ahsoka asked apprehensively.

"Someday, I will be by my master's side– not as any mere acolyte– but as one of his true apprentices. Once we have restored the Sith as the dominant power in the galaxy, there will be no need for the self-pruning Rule Of Two. We, the new order of the Sith, will be many in numbers and unlimited in power. Through our strength, we will ensure peace and security in the galaxy for all time."

Ahsoka stared.

"I've already chosen my Sith name," Sangos said. "My name will be Darth Invicta."

 _Invicta._ It meant unconquered, unbroken. Ahsoka had to admit it was a good choice. Dark, resolute-sounding, and not without a tinge of menace around it.

"But now, I'm starting to wonder if I'm not meant for this name," Sangos said abruptly.

"What?"

"Maybe it's you, Tano."

Ahsoka recoiled. "What?!"

"Or the Senator. You've both had to face greater tests than I've ever endured– and I mean that. The Jedi Order was determined to kill you, and you survived. Senator Chuchi overthrew her planet's dictator. You both have more of a claim to Invicta than I do."

Ahsoka instinctively clutched the crystals closer to her chest. "No."

"No?" Sangos raised an eyebrow. "You could join me. You and the senator. A new age is coming, and the Sith will rule the galaxy. We could be an invincible triumvirate."

Ahsoka forced down the revulsion rising in her throat. "I… I can't be a Sith. They've… they've hurt me."

"We've…?" Sangos trailed off. "This is about Barriss Offee, isn't it?"

Ahsoka nearly dropped the crystals.

"NO!" she growled.

Sangos continued on in a falsely understanding tone, as if she was trying to calm an unruly child.

"It hurt when she betrayed you, didn't it? You two were close?"

 _You have no idea how close we were,_ Ahsoka thought stonily.

"Offee was insane. _I_ would never commit such a wanton and ineffectual act of violence like that."

 _Maybe you would._

"Understand this. She fell to the Dark Side, but she was never a Sith."

"I know that," Ahsoka growled, a distant tear threatening to show in the corner her eyes. Barriss had fallen completely of her own volition, and Ahsoka wished that anything else were true. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, it was a complete and systematic failure from within the Jedi Order that caused Barriss to become such a twisted shell of herself. That same failure inside the Order was what drove her out soon after.

It was moments like this when Sangos seemed so _right_ about the Jedi. And about everything. When it seemed like the Jedi were a lethal mix of glaringly incompetent and dangerously overconfident.

But Sangos was a Separatist. And a Sith. She had to be twisting the truth, just as she had done so many times before.

Finally trusting herself to speak, Ahsoka lifted her head. "It's not just Barriss. It's Dooku and all of the things he's done. I can't call myself a Sith when I've seen what they can do firsthand."

"But yet you pledge yourself to our cause."

"I can work with the Sith without becoming one of them." Ahsoka stepped forward and stared Sangos in the eye. She was endangering their mission immensely right now, but she didn't care. "And that's final."

Tension charged the air around them as they stared down each other, neither speaking nor moving. Sangos was the first to break away when she reached out and wordlessly took the crystals back. Ahsoka watched, still silent, as Sangos returned them to her pouch.

"It was worth a try," Sangos said finally, not sounding disappointed in the least.

* * *

 ** _Pantora_**

"Please believe me when I say that I honestly don't know where Senator Chuchi is right now. She only told me that she had a covert mission to attend to."

Shaak Ti scrutinized Chairman Papanoida, the respected leader of Pantora, as he sat behind his desk, his expression filled with worry. He was telling the truth about Senator Chuchi. Shaak decided to press another line of questioning.

"When the senator left, was Ahsoka Tano with her?" she asked.

"She-" Papanoida faltered. His eyes darted to the side. "You have to understand, the senator swore me to secrecy on this issue, and I do not break my promises."

"If it is your honor that you are worried about, I can assure you that Senator Chuchi will never know it was you who passed the information on. You may speak freely without fear of reparations."

Papanoida swallowed. "But that cannot soothe my conscience."

"I see." Shaak added a tinge of ice to her tone. "You must remember, Chairman, that Tano is acting in violation of Republic law. She was ordered by the Jedi Council to remain on Coruscant, and if she has left with Senator Chuchi, then the senator is technically breaking the law as well. However, we will overlook the senator's breach as long as we see Tano safely returned to Coruscant."

"If that's the situation, then…" Papanoida paused. "Still, I cannot say more without feeling as if I am betraying them. Surely they've done nothing wrong?"

"Aside from breaking a Council-ordained parole?"

Papanoida held up a finger. "There it is, Master Ti. 'Parole.' To my knowledge, Tano never did anything wrong, and yet you use that word."

"This parole is more for her own protection than for anyone else's. She would be a sitting duck if she went out into the galaxy on her own. The Separatists would do anything to take her hostage."

"I've heard firsthand from Senator Chuchi of just how capable Tano is. I think you underestimate her power."

"But the matter remains, Chairman. There are too many unknown things at play in this war, and we cannot risk another. We cannot lose someone as valuable as Tano."

"It seems to me that you already have."

Papanoida's words struck Shaak like a slap, and she couldn't resist the slightest widening of her eyes.

However, apparently satisfied with the moral high ground, Papanoida relented. "But I will tell you all I know, if you truly feel it is right. Orders are orders, are they not?"

Despite having finally gotten somewhere, Shaak didn't feel much relieved. "Thank you. What do you know about their departure?"

"Truly, all I know is that they were with each other when they left," Papanoida said.

So Tano _was_ with Senator Chuchi. That was progress.

"And you have no idea where they were going?" Shaak asked.

"They barely talked about what they were doing. Senator Chuchi only mentioned that they had to keep a low profile."

"Hm." A low profile made sense. Otherwise, the Council would've tracked them down by now.

"What was the name of the ship they left in?" she asked. It would be worth trying to track their ship, but that all depended on whether it was a government ship or a civilian ship-

"Senator Chuchi bought a small civilian freighter. The kind that wouldn't look out of place anywhere. She said that a government ship would attract too much attention."

Much less likely to be tracked, then. "I presume this ship was paid for with government funds?"

"Yes."

"I need to see the details of this transaction." Shaak paused. What else had Senator Chuchi bought that could give a clue? "In fact," she continued, "Can you give me a record of all of the purchases and transactions Senator Chuchi made between her last arrival and departure?"

Papanoida nodded. "I can, but it will take a few minutes. I'll contact the treasury department." He turned to his computer and began tapping away at it.

A minute later, he leaned back and exhaled. "They're putting together a list right now. It'll be ready in a few minutes."

"Thank you."

Some time later, after a lengthy silence between them, the computer spat out a sheet of flimsi.

"Here we are," Papanoida said, looking over the sheet. "This should be what you're looking for." He glanced up at her. "This is all being done with the intention of finding Tano, correct?"

Shaak nodded. "Yes. The Order considers it extremely important that we find her."

Papanoida shook his head. "Not to be disrespectful, Master Jedi, but you seem to be exercising an undue amount of power over Tano. After what she went through, should you not be allowing her to choose her own path?"

The words sent a pang of sadness through Shaak. She'd wondered this very same thing.

"Perhaps," she said aloud, hoping the chairman wouldn't pursue the point further. There would be no satisfactory answers for any more questions that followed this vein.

Thankfully, Papanoida didn't say anything else as he handed over the sheet.

Shaak scanned the list. Most of it was unimportant things that anyone might buy– food, various necessities– but some of the purchases stood out as odd. Blasters. Cloaks. An unspecified money transfer to the Bureau of Identification. And, of course, the ship.

As she read through the specifics of the ship, it quickly became apparent that this was the kind of ship that one would by if they wanted to disappear. There were no vehicular identification numbers of any sort attached to it, making it essentially untraceable, and the ship itself was a G9 Rigger- a model as commonplace as any other in the galaxy.

Tano and Chuchi were most likely undercover. If she had to make an educated guess about what the money sent to the Bureau of Identification was for, it was for purchasing fake ID's. This made less and less sense with every minute. It was as if they _wanted_ to go into hiding.

And then something at the bottom of the list caught her eye.

 _850 credits transferred to the Trans-Galactic Stronsing Trade Corporation._

Shaak frowned. Why would Senator Chuchi be sending money to a trade corporation?

Well, it was her only loose end. The Stronsing Trade Corporation was based out of the planet of Nubia, just after Corellia on the Corellian Hyperspace Run. It would be easy enough to travel there and see what exactly Senator Chuchi had paid for. Maybe that would lead her to Tano.

 **A/N: Hey, so a note about the crystals and how Sith can turn them red with the Dark Side- that's actually canon; it's in the Ahsoka novel by E.K. Johnston that came out in October.**

 **You may not know this, but I've written other fics. If there's anyone here who's a fan of RWBY, you should check out my story Flags Fly Forever. I've written another Star Wars fic– it's a Barrissoka story called Doe Eyes.**

 **Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a review! Chapter 20 will come out on a slight delay, due to the arrival of my high school midyear exams. Muffin out.**


	20. Chapter 20: The Storm Is Growing Deadly

**Chapter 20: The Storm Is Growing Deadly**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 **A/N: Well, I'm back. Chapter Four of Flags Fly Forever was an absolute bastard to write, and that took me all of February. I set myself a deadline of March 15 to get this one out, and I think this is the first time I've met a fanfiction deadline since the summer of 2016.**

 **Bonus: Spot the reference in the chapter title.**

 **Anyway, something you all might be interested in knowing– I've got a pretty good idea of how many chapters are left in this story. There's going to be around 22 more chapters after this one, which will bring the total for APSCF to 42 chapters altogether. After Act 2 (what we're in right now) ends at Chapter 26, Act 3 will be a fairly short arc split between Coruscant and Pantora in chapters 27-30, and then we get to the Revenge Of The Sith Arc, which will make up the rest of the story.**

 **As usual, the wonderful HundredSunsets on AO3 was the beta reader for this chapter. Check out her writing.**

 **Here's a thanks to SpiritMonkey for wishing me luck on my midyears (they've were more than a month ago, that's how late this chapter is lol). They went well!**

 _ **Corellia**_

"So we're sitting on top of an army?"

Now reunited again, Ahsoka, Riyo, Jorys, and Edose sat in a far-flung corner of the mess hall that night, trying to keep their voices as low as possible as they talked.

"Five thousand droids. We don't stand a chance if Sangos uses them on us," Ahsoka said. "Even more of an incentive to be careful."

"Lovely." Edose looked around. "What happened to that smuggler? He could ruin this all for us if he doesn't realize know what these Seppies can spring on us."

Ahsoka briefly thought of the terrified expression on Rosgrest's face when he'd seen her at the podracing track, and she smirked. "I don't think we'll have to worry about him jeopardizing our mission."

Edose nodded. "If you say so."

"So what were you and Jorys doing while I was talking to Sangos?" Ahsoka asked.

"Fraternizing with the enemy," Jorys said ruefully.

"No, really," Edose added. "A few Separatist government commandos from Raxus– sort of the equivalent of Senate Guards – got friendly with us. They were curious about what sort of training Senate Guards got, what sort of skills we had, things like that."

"Let me tell you, lying about everything while still sounding believable was one of the hardest things we've ever done," Jorys said. "I told them that the color of our socks is a secret way of denoting rank. Black is the lowest rank." She shrugged. "We all wear black socks. That should throw them for a loop if they ever decide to invade Coruscant."

"Really though, they were quite cordial," Edose continued. "Not like the demented monsters that Jorys assumed they would be."

"No argument there," Jorys said. "I was afraid they were going to drool all over my shoes or something. But they didn't do anything like that. They were _civil_ and they had _names_ and they could _smile,_ and maybe weirdest of all, they had _inside jokes!"_ Jorys looked at Edose. "But that's _our_ thing, Edose! We have inside jokes! We're the good guys; we're supposed to be the only ones who can burst out laughing when someone says 'release the noodle boat' really loudly! But they're sentients, too! They can _laugh,_ and I'm not sure if I like it."

Edose nodded. "It is rather jarring to be reminded that Separatists aren't all droids. It makes you wonder who's got the moral high ground here. One side employs machines to do the fighting for them, and the only living beings in their army are the ones who want to be there. The other side uses a disposable sentient army that was created to die."

A brief shiver ran through Ahsoka as Edose's words echoed what Sangos had said to her yesterday.

"I think I liked being a Senate guard more," Jorys said. "It was easier to think that the Separatists were nothing but pure evil when I lived in the beating heart of the Republic." She planted her face on the table and buried her hands in her hair. "I'm too old to have moral crises."

"Jorys, you're thirty-eight standard years old," Edose said.

"Yeah, and I'm working with people _half my age,"_ Jorys shot back, her words muffled by the table. "I never expected– Oh hey, Travis! What's up?"

"Solant," came a friendly voice from behind Ahsoka. A burly-looking human in uniform had sidled up to them with a grin on his face. Ahsoka took him to be one of Jorys and Edose's new friends.

"So you know how you were so curious about those new miniguns that we just started making?" he asked. "Well, me and the guys–" he jerked a thumb over his shoulder at a congregation of similarly-uniformed Separatists at a distant table– "–went and looked around, and guess what? We just got one in today! Latest supply shipment from the front lines. This thing's so fresh off the production line I swear the welding lines are still warm."

"Sweet!" Jorys said in an excited voice that, surprisingly, didn't sound faked.

"Wanna head down to the firing range and try that baby out?" Travis asked. He nodded at Edose. "Bring your partner, too. He'll love this thing."

Jorys stood up, pushing her bowl of soup away. "I'm game. I never got to play with that kind of firepower in the Senate Guard. Coming, Edose?"

"Why not?" Edose said, standing up. "We'll see you later, Tano, Senator Chuchi."

Ahsoka watched Jorys and Edose leave with the gaggle of Separatists. "Well," she said, turning back to Riyo, "At least they're getting some enjoyment out of all this."

"Hm." Riyo looked down at her food, and then spoke suddenly. "You don't regret coming on this mission at all, do you?"

"Me?" Ahsoka was taken aback by the question. "I… I try not to think about it, but…"

Riyo nodded. "I feel… odd about this whole thing. They're just like us. I think Jorys accurately summed up my discomfort a second ago."

"It could be a _huge_ help to the Republic if we can take these people down," Ahsoka said. "How much shorter can we make the war by stopping them? And how many lives would that save? That's why I'm doing this."

"I know," Riyo said. "I don't have any reservations about trying to stop them. I just wonder… What would this place be like in a time of peace? Would these people be any more dangerous than any other Republic citizen?"

"They wouldn't be. That's why we have to end the war. So everything can return to normal." It was just another reason why Ahsoka had come to hate the Clone Wars with such a passion by now. Ordinary people were twisted into new, unpleasant roles that they weren't suited for.

"Agreed." Riyo glanced around before leaning forward and speaking again, her voice now barely audible. "If we want to talk about our mission… I believe I've found where they're keeping the stolen weapons."

A thrill went through Ahsoka. "Where?"

* * *

"You're at the turbolift, correct?" Riyo asked, her voice coming through Ahsoka's comm with a hiss of static.

Ahsoka looked up and down the hall, confirming that it was empty, before answering. "Yup. Now what?"

"Now take the lift to the first sublevel."

"On it." Ahsoka stepped into the turbolift. "Sangos _is_ coming to talk to you, right?"

"I'm positive. She sounded entirely too pleased that I wanted to see her."

Ahsoka watched the floor numbers tick down. "Perfect. Hey– I know that you've got to keep Sangos occupied while I'm doing this– but if she starts making you feel uncomfortable _at all,_ I want you to call it off. Leave the room. Tell her you're not feeling well. Just don't let her do anything shady. I don't know what tricks she has up her sleeve."

"I trust myself."

"I trust you, too. It's _her_ that I don't trust. If it wasn't for the fact that you've got to put in an appearance to keep her from wondering where you've gone, I would switch places with you in an instant."

Truth be told, Ahsoka was worried. The idea of Sangos trying to instill the Dark Side into Riyo was something that terrified her. Those words to Riyo from their first encounter came back to her, as threatening and loaded as they'd ever been:

" _How do I know you're not a Sith already? If you're not… You would make a wonderful one someday."_

"You're thinking of when she said I could make a good Sith Lord, aren't you?"

Ahsoka started at Riyo's words. "I–I am– how did you know?!"

"I haven't been able to get it out of my mind, either. It's not every day that someone says you could be a fair representation of evil in the galaxy. And I mean that."

"Do you _believe_ that?"

"No."

Ahsoka exhaled. "Thank the Force. Riyo, you're the exact opposite of a Sith Lord. You could say you were a physical embodiment of the Light Side of the Force, and I would believe you, because you're the most virtuous person I know."

"Oh… thank you." There was a subtle tinge of embarrassment to Riyo's words– Ahsoka would bet money that she was blushing right now.

The turbolift stopped with a _ding._ She looked up as the doors opened, revealing a silent, dim hallway. "I'm at the first sublevel," she said. "Now what?"

"Turn right, and then…" Riyo stopped, her voice trailing off into silence.

"Riyo?"

"Sangos is coming," Riyo said urgently. "I can sense her. I've only got a few seconds. Listen closely. I'm telling you where to go."

Ahsoka fought down an urge to panic. "I'm listening."

"Turn right and open the first door on the left – it was unlocked when I tried it, and it connects to another hallway. There's a set of locked double doors at the end of that hallway with two guards there."

"Got it." Ahsoka took a deep breath. "You're going to be okay, right?"

"I know how to deal with people like Sangos. She may be intimidating, but if you show the slightest bit of strength or ability to fight back, she'll back off. She'll only pursue fights that she knows she can win without a shadow of doubt."

Ahsoka wasn't so sure of that, but Riyo knew what she was doing, and that was enough. "Good luck." As she went to turn off her comm, something else occurred to her in a flash, and she stopped. "Keep your comm on. I want to hear what she says to you."

"I'll do that. Stay safe, Ahsoka."

"You too."

Then Riyo fell silent, and a few seconds later, she spoke again, but now it was to someone else, and her tone was warier. "Colonel Sangos."

"Senator Chuchi, it's good to see you."

Ahsoka started to walk as she listened to Riyo and Sangos exchange obligatory pleasantries. Then a question from Sangos made her freeze.

"Where, may I ask, is Ahsoka?"

"I assume she went back to the room. She said she wasn't feeling well."

"That's too bad. Should I send up a medic to check on her?"

"No, she said it was just a stomachache."

"All right, then."

Ahsoka smiled at Riyo's smooth fib. They must've started walking, because a rhythmic swishing was drowning out most of the conversation, as if Riyo had placed the comm in her pocket while getting up to follow Sangos, muffling the microphone. She could only make out a few disjointed words from Sangos.

"Sector Governance Bill… bureaucracy… well… to think… war effort…" Just Separatist drivel. Nothing that Riyo couldn't handle.

After listening to more of the same for a long minute, she turned her attention to her surroundings. What had been Riyo's directions again? Turn right and–

Sangos's voice, suddenly clear, rang out from the comm with a question that made Ahsoka's blood run cold. "Tell me, Senator Chuchi, when did you learn that you were Force-sensitive?"

"Er…"

Ahsoka could sense the sudden tension in Riyo from four floors down, but she could only stand there, staring helplessly at her comlink. This was exactly what she was afraid of.

"I… it was only recently. Before the Sector Governance Bill. Ahsoka helped me discover it."

"How?"

"We were meditating together."

"Really? You and Tano seem rather close," Sangos said.

Riyo's reply was immediate and firm. "We are."

A lengthy silence followed. Ahsoka's eyes drifted to the turbolift she'd just left, and an irresistible urge to go back and bail out Riyo rose up in her. This was a matter of trust. Did she believe that Riyo was capable of holding up against Sangos's machinations?

After a moment's thought, she gritted her teeth and turned away. She had a mission to complete. Her duty, first and foremost, was to the Republic. Riyo would agree.

However, if she had known what Sangos was about to do, she would've cut off her own hand if it meant getting back to Riyo any quicker.

After muting her comm (the noise would only give her away, and it wouldn't do to have any Separatists hear her coming), she tried to recall Riyo's directions. What had they been? T _urn right and open the first door on the left ._ Wait. Or had it been _turn left and open the first door on the right?_

With a sinking feeling, she realized that they both sounded the same. She looked up and down the hallway. It was unhelpfully uniform and empty in both directions. No signs read, "STOLEN WEAPONS THIS WAY." Hoping for something _that_ obvious might've been wishful thinking, but that had actually happened once in a Separatist base on Cato Neimoidia. Now _that_ really was a testament to the cunning intelligence that had kept the Separatists alive this long.

But sadly, this wasn't Cato Neimoidia, and Sangos was smarter than a Neimoidian. After a frustrated minute, Ahsoka decided to turn left and take the first door on the right. The door was indeed unlocked, and a quick check with her montrals showed the passage ahead to be empty. She crept in, but stealth wasn't particularly needed, as this passage was darker than the previous one. It was a long walk to the door at the end of this passage. Carefully opening the next door, she found herself in an expansive hallway. One end of it stretched into the gloom. The other end was in sight, but it wasn't what she was expecting. Instead of a set of guarded double doors, there was a giant blast door, and nobody was in sight.

Riyo would've mentioned a blast door. So this was the wrong way. However… nobody put up blast doors without a good reason. This needed a closer look. Coming closer to the doors, she noticed to her surprise that there was no lock. It looked as if she just needed to press a button on the wall to open it– wait. There was a small piece of flimsi affixed to the wall next to the button. She bent down to read it. In neat block letters, someone had written,

 _NOTICE: ONLY THOSE AT OR ABOVE THE RANK OF 'COLONEL' ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER THIS ROOM. UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY WILL RESULT IN PROMPT AND SEVERE PUNISHMENT._

Ahsoka smirked. She was definitely going in here, then. But first–

She turned up the volume on her comlink again. Sangos's voice sprang forth. "–radio tower," she was saying. "It's the highest point for miles around."

Riyo's, showing no signs of distress in her tone, answered: "The view is appreciable."

They were in the radio tower? Was Sangos just giving Riyo the same spiel she'd given to Ahsoka, with the crystals and the ultimate triumph of the Sith and whatnot? Well, that made her feel immensely better. Riyo could easily deal with that craziness. Only a Jedi with _real_ problems would've been moved by that bunk.

 _Could Barriss have fallen for it?_

The thought was so completely unexpected, so completely unbidden, that it struck Ahsoka like an anvil, sending her reeling, until she found herself leaning against the wall, clutching it like it was her lifeline. Voices still came from the comlink, but she couldn't concentrate on them.

She closed her eyes. _Stop. Thinking. About. Barriss._ _She doesn't deserve to be on your mind,_ she chided. _You need to get over her. She's in the past._

But that was impossible. Barriss had once been a constant in Ahsoka's life– someone that she could count on seeing whenever there was a brief respite from the war– a sympathetic Padawan who would listen to her anytime– a friend. And now she was a traitor. She _wanted_ to forget about Barriss, but she _couldn't._

 _Why did you do it, Barriss? Why?_

It was a question that desperately needed an answer.

 _Come on. Focus. This isn't the time._

She took a deep breath and buried her emotions as deep as she could, forcing her attention back to the job, and after muting her comlink again, she hit the button to open the blast door. Here went nothing.

The door slid back with a rasping grind, opening far enough that a tank could've fit through, revealing a pitch-black interior. She squinted into the darkness, trying to make out the contents, but she could've been staring into the face of a rancor for all she knew. The feeble light from the hallway behind her gave no help. Cautiously, she advanced into the darkened room, fists raised and ready to ward off an attack. Then, slowly, she became conscious of a massive expanse in front of her. This was no small room. The darkness had no end. It went back and back and back, so deep and thick that she felt as if she was staring into the deepest corners of space. Each step felt like it would send her spinning off the planet.

Then she took one more step forward and bumped into something.

She jumped back immediately, flaring her senses and feeling for enemies from all corners–but there wasn't a living soul near her. Even so, she stood still for a long minute, half-expecting something to leap out of the shadows and attack. Finally collecting herself, she crept forward again, concentrating with her montrals– and she found it right in front of her. Reaching out, her hands hit a rod of cold, smooth metal. What _was_ this?

Experimentally, she tugged at it. It was heavy, but it gave way quickly under her grasp. Too quickly.

It tumbled forward, knocking her to the ground. Only by a Force-assisted shove did she keep the thing from breaking her ribs when it landed, but even so, the painful impact knocked the wind out of her, and for a few seconds stars filled her vision. When she could see clearly again, she looked up and realized that she was staring a battle droid in the face.

"KRIFF!" She couldn't resist the startled scream– it was instinctive. Flipping the droid over her shoulder and heaving it through the blast doors was also instinctive. A few moments later, she realized that she'd overreacted. The droid lay limply on the ground where it'd landed, making no movement to get up, nor did it make any of the sparking twitches that characterized a broken droid. It was deactivated. But _why_ was there a–a–?!

She turned around, dread mounting in her, and peered into the inky gloom again. Her eyes were finally adjusted fully to the darkness, and for the first time, she could see why this room was so big. Battle droids. Rows and rows of them, stretching endlessly into the darkness. Sangos's army. If activated, they would march out that blast door, armed to the teeth and ready to flood the streets of Coronet City and kill indiscriminately. And who knew what other surprises were in here besides the basic B1's? There could be B2 super battle droids, droidekas, commando droids– the amount of firepower that could be in here was dizzying. Even… even… she checked the size of the entrance and, yup, it was big enough to fit a hailfire droid through there. Maybe even a spider droid.

She pulled out her datapad and turned on the camera. The Chancellor needed to see this.

* * *

Some time later, she had what she needed. The entire time she'd been taking pictures, she'd been praying to the Force that the droids wouldn't suddenly activate while she was surrounded by them. Her camera had a flash feature, which she took to using as a makeshift flashlight, but it had only made everything creepier by throwing ghostly, quivering shadows on the skeletal soldiers that made it seem like unseen enemies were circling her. Every moment, she'd been expecting to hear the screechy whine of servos turning and batteries powering up that preluded a rain of mechanical destruction. To add to the fun, her datapad made a sharp _click_ every time it took a photo, and she had no idea how to make it stop. As a result, _every_ photo made her cringe and duck. It wasn't fun. But then again, espionage was almost _never_ fun.

Thankfully, the droids had never moved, and now she was on to the second part of her job. Finding those stolen weapons. Having gone back to the turbolift and turned _right_ and gone through the first door on the _left,_ she found herself where she was supposed to be. In a much more well-lit hallway, two armed guards stood in front of the aforementioned double doors.

The best approach would be a direct one. Ahsoka emerged into the hallway and started walking towards them, planning to use a mind trick. Initially, the guards tensed at the sight of her, but then they relaxed as she neared.

"Evening, boss," one of them said, lowering his gun. "What're you here for?"

Ahsoka had to fight down a wave of exultance. _They think I'm Sangos!_ "Just passing through," she said casually. "I wanted to see the shipment we just got in from the front lines," she added, recalling the tidbit of information that Jorys and Edose's new friends had supplied. "I heard that there's a few new miniguns in with this one."

"Ah… didn't you already look at it?" the guard on the left asked. "Just a few hours ago. You were the one who gave the miniguns to Travis."

Ahsoka bit back a curse. "I… So I did." She laughed nervously. "I guess my memory's not too good today."

"Hang on," the other guard cut in, now addressing his partner. "Didn't the colonel tell us to look out for someone who looked like her snooping around the place?"

They both turned to look at her and raised their guns.

"You've got five seconds to identify yourself before I call for backup," the guard on the right growled.

Right. Time for her original plan. Ahsoka lifted her hand and spoke softly, letting the Force weave its way into her words. "You _will_ let me pass," she intoned, hoping that Separatists were really as weak-minded as the Republic made them out to be. "And you _will_ forget that you saw me."

The guards' eyes glazed over, and they wordlessly stepped aside. Ahsoka passed between them with a smirk and pulled open the doors. Separatist cunning, indeed.

Inside, it was a warehouse. Shelves filled with crates towered around her, with only narrow aisles between them to pass through. She plunged into the maze with infinite caution, her eyes, ears, and montrals searching for any sign of an enemy.

In the middle of the warehouse, there was a circle of YT-series freighters that were in the process of being loaded. Crates were stacked all around them, and a swarm of worker droids were going back and forth through the freighters' bay doors. High above them, a massive section of the roof had slid open, revealing the night sky and forming an exit for the ships. So this was how they got everything in and out of the base.

After snapping pictures of the loading dock, Ahsoka made a beeline for a crate, picking one at random.

She pried off the lid of with the help of the Force. The contents inside were instantly familiar, and definitely stolen. She would know Republic-issue DC-15 rifles anywhere. Those should _definitely_ not be in Separatist hands. After snapping a picture of the blasters (her camera was still making that Force-damned clicking noise) and replacing the lid of the crate, she moved on, and it quickly became apparent that this was a gold mine of incriminating information. Almost everything in this warehouse was Republic military-grade stuff that shouldn't have even been in the hands of a law-abiding civilian.

Then, as she was pocketing a few pistols (in case of an emergency), a voice came around the corner.

"Did you hear something?"

She barely had time to throw the lid back on and jump behind the crate as. Moments later, two sets of footsteps came around the corner.

"I didn't hear anything," another voice said.

"It sounded… it sounded like someone was taking a picture."

"Odd. Tell you what, let's take a look. Constant vigilance."

Ahsoka drew herself into a ball as the Separatist drew nearer, pulling the Force in around her to quiet her breathing as much as possible. She raised her head just a little, trying to get the best view for her montrals.

Two humans passed by her, pistols drawn, and they stopped in front of the crate she was crouched behind.

"Don't see anything. Are you sure you heard something?"

"I'm telling you, I heard something. I heard it three times already, but I thought maybe it was the air conditioner. Now I'm worried. I don't want any trouble while the next shipment's going out, especially since this is an important one."

"Oh? Where's this one going?"

"Felucia system. It's a big one. Those N-27 ground-to-orbit missiles are gonna be a real help in the battle there– the Republic's making a big push to try and take the system back. We can't take any chances with these."

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"As serious as I could be."

"All right, we'll sweep the place. Better safe than sorry."

Ahsoka started to edge backwards. She'd already gathered enough evidence to convince the blindest Jedi that there was a serious threat on Corellia. There was no need to stay here any longer.

And then her foot landed on a spare piece of wrapping plastic, making a loud crinkle.

"Did you hear that?"

"I heard it." Their voices were tense now.

"It was close by."

"We know someone's in here!" one of them barked. "Show yourself!"

"This is Wladentien and Brinker to post," the other of them said, speaking into a comm. "We have a potential–"

This was getting bad. Ahsoka's eyes flicked around the vicinity, searching for an escape route– and then something even better came scampering out from behind a crate in the form of a rat. With a whispered 'sorry,' Ahsoka seized the rat with the Force and flung it into the aisle. A high-pitched scream answered, overlaid with the frantic squeaking of the befuddled animal.

"RAT!" one of them shrieked.

"Well, there's our culprit. That's a big 'un," the other one commented. "Come on, Brinker, don't tell me that you're scared."

"I don't like rats," Brinker said in a quiet voice.

"Oh, for the love of– Here, I'll shoot it for you." There was the sound of a pistol being cocked.

"HOLD IT!" Brinker yelled. "Use your head, man! We're in a warehouse full of weapons! Shoot a gun, why don't you?! That'll make a pretty little fireworks display!"

"Damn," Wladentien said. "You're right."

"I swear those factory fumes are going to your– Who's there?"

Suddenly, there was the sound of a whole group of running feet. From the sound of it, a whole squad had come around the corner. Kriff. Now Ahsoka was _really_ in it.

"At ease, privates. We got a situation?" came a new, gruff voice.

"Naw, Lieutenant Travis. It was just a rat."

"Yeah, they do get pretty big down here. Well, at least it wasn't a real threat. We got your message, heard the screams, sounded pretty bad at first… Hey, how about that, Solant? You could've gotten a chance to see how good we lot are in a gunfight."

 _Solant?_ That wasn't–

"You mean, you could've gotten a chance to see how good me and Edose are in a gunfight," was the sardonic reply of none other than Jorys Solant.

Okay, this was funny, but the presence of Jorys and Edose was a relief to Ahsoka. If it came to a fight, the playing field felt a little more even.

"Just to be safe, we ought to take a look round. Even if it's just a rat. I don't like them things with their beady little eyes anyway," Travis said.

Jorys groaned. "I never thought that pest control would be part of my new job."

There was a booming laugh from Travis. "Your first recon mission as a Separatist! You ain't nothing 'til you've done a little recon, that's what I say. Should be fun."

"Whatever. What do I do?"

"Look around, see if there's rats or gun-toting Republic bastards, and shoot them if there are any."

"Sure. But if I get my face chewed off by a rat, I'm asking for hazard pay."

Then, abruptly, Jorys's face came around the corner of the crate. She squinted, scanning the nook until she noticed Ahsoka. Her eyes bulged comically she realized who exactly was in front of her. Ahsoka held a finger to her lips as Jorys stared at her, openmouthed.

"Right. No gun-toting Republic bastards back here," Jorys said loudly, while giving her a look that clearly said, _I will demand answers later._ "Or rats."

"Good. Keep moving."

"Got it." Jorys pulled back, and their voices gradually faded as they moved away. As soon as they were gone, Ahsoka jumped out from her hiding spot. She had everything she needed. Now to get back to Riyo.

* * *

Ahsoka opened the door to their room and walked in, setting her datapad on the dresser by the door.

"Force, that was interesting," she said. "I ran into Jorys in the weirdest way possible, but–" She broke off. Riyo was sitting on the side of the bed, her head bowed and her body completely still. She hadn't looked up or even moved when Ahsoka entered.

"Riyo?" Ahsoka asked, worry stealing into her. "Riyo, are you okay?"

Finally, Riyo looked up and met her eyes. Her expression was deathly pale, and her eyes betrayed a deep, disbelieving horror at some unseen threat.

"Riyo!" Ahsoka practically leapt across the room and gripped her girlfriend by the shoulders. "What happened?"

Instead of replying, she reached out and pulled Ahsoka into a strangling hug, holding her as tightly as possible.

"Riyo," Ahsoka repeated, struggling to keep a semblance of calm in her voice. "What did she do to you?"

Riyo pulled away, staring at Ahsoka with an expression of intense shame. Their eyes met, and suddenly–suddenly– visions flashed through Ahsoka's mind– sights and thoughts and feelings that weren't her own.

Sitting across from Sangos. " _Tell me, Senator Chuchi, have you ever felt the Dark Side?"_

A reluctant reply. " _No."_

A sinister smile. " _I could show it to you."_

A need to buy time. A knowledge that every second for Ahsoka counted. And an unwilling but ready answer. " _Go ahead."_

And then a series of images flashed through Ahsoka's mind– more impressions and afterimages than anything substantial, but she knew too well what they were.

 _Rage. Revenge. Power. Destruction. So much power. Scorching, infinite power. The power that kings intoxicated themselves with and the power that took and took and took–_

 _A great and terrible temptation, a whisper of what lay beyond, an echo of the thrones of the damned, a promise of what could be taken–_

Ahsoka was so unbelievably _furious_ that she felt as if she was _choking_ on the anger that was rising up in her throat, and she wanted nothing more than to tear Sangos apart, limb by limb, atom by atom, and make her feel tenfold the pain that she'd just put Riyo through–

Riyo spoke.

"I've heard about the Dark Side before," she began shakily. "But I never understood why the Jedi thought it was a such a wicked temptation. Until now." She took a deep breath. "That was pure _power._ It felt… like it wanted to infect me. When people say that power corrupts… they don't know how right they are."

"I will _kill_ her," Ahsoka snarled. "I don't care about our mission anymore, Force help her. She doesn't deserve to live."

"Ahsoka!" Riyo seized her. "No– you can't endanger our–"

"Then what am I supposed to DO?!"

"Just–" Riyo squeezed her eyes shut. "Be here. With me. Please. I _need_ you right now."

A horrible guilt was overwhelming Ahsoka now. She'd left Riyo at Sangos's mercy and this was what had happened.

"Are you okay?" She regretted the question as soon as it was out of her mouth. "No, that's a stupid question. _No one_ is okay after seeing the Dark Side." She knew that well enough after her own experience on Mortis.

"I think I'm going to be okay," Riyo whispered.

"What can I do?"

"Stay here." Riyo pushed herself deeper into Ahsoka's arms. "I just… I need to feel you. You have _light_ in you… I need to see it again."

Ahsoka was too afraid to move as Riyo buried her head in the crook of Ahsoka's neck.

"I don't know if I can ever forget this," Riyo breathed.

Ahsoka took a deep breath. "You… you won't. Once you realize it's there, it's a part of you. For the better or for the worse. But the best way to keep it from dominating you is also the easiest way."

"What's that?"

"Trust in the Force."

Riyo lifted her head. "It's that simple?"

"It really is. You can't ever turn to the Dark Side if you always rely on the Light Side of the Force. The Light will never let you down."

Riyo didn't answer, instead choosing to bring her head back down.

Ahsoka had to add one more thing. "The Dark Side has no mercy. It doesn't care about you. That's what makes the Light Side stronger."

For a long time, neither of them spoke as they sat together, and it wasn't until Riyo's breathing had long since grown slow and rhythmic did Ahsoka realize that she had fallen asleep.

She gently laid Riyo down on the bed and slipped under the covers next to her. Sleep was a long time coming as she laid there, her eyes tracing over the troubled lines in Riyo's face over and over again. The Dark Side felt closer than it ever had.

 **A/N: My beta HundredSunsets said it pretty well when she said "I'm starting a petition for Ahsoka to punch Sangos in the face" after reading this.**

 **If you leave a review, you're an awesome person. You're also an awesome person just for the action of _reading_ this, but you're even MORE awesome if you leave a review as well. So, please leave a review and be more awesome. Thank you! Air Force Muffin out.**


	21. Chapter 21: A Deadly Misunderstanding

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, everyone. I've been pretty busy for the last few months. Hope you enjoy the chapter! This one was fun to write. I just updated Chapter Four of The Reviewer's Files, too.**

 **As usual, HundredSunsets is the beta for this story; go find her on Archive Of Our Own and read her stories because she's awesome.**

 **Also, everyone who guessed that "The Storm Is Growing Deadly" in the last chapter was a RWBY reference was right. I love that show.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its related franchises. All credit for the canon characters and canon occurrences in this story goes to the Star Wars franchise, Lucasfilm, and Disney.**

 _ **Nubia**_

"The files should be downloading onto your datapad right now, Master Jedi. Will that be all?"

"Yes, thank you. I hope I haven't been too much of an intrusion."

"Not at all. The Trans-Galactic Stronsing Trade Corporation is always glad to cooperate with the Jedi Order. Enjoy your day!"

"Thank you."

The cheery voice of the clerk disappeared with a _click,_ leaving Shaak Ti alone in the quiet of her shuttle.

After double-checking the authenticity of the file, she took a deep breath and opened it. In a matter of seconds, she might finally be ascertaining the whereabouts of Ahsoka Tano.

The file was Riyo Chuchi's purchase history with the corporation. It seemed that she'd only bought one item from them: A set of low-level freighter's clearance codes– good for getting a freighter anywhere they needed to go in the Core Worlds or the Mid Rim. They were also easily traceable. In fact, Shaak had the software on her own datapad to find out if the codes had been used anywhere.

Tapping on her datapad, she opened up the records and searched for Chuchi's codes. Within a few moments, the results were flashing on the screen.

Shaak raised an eyebrow. Why were Senator Chuchi and Ahsoka Tano on Corellia?

* * *

 _ **Corellia**_

"It shouldn't take much longer."

Ahsoka Tano and Riyo Chuchi. Two of the galaxy's most talented individuals.

"Let's hope so."

Deep into a perilous mission in the middle of an enemy stronghold. Playing a dangerous game with a cunning enemy. The stakes had never been any higher.

And they were hiding in a broom closet. Anakin would love this.

"How long does it take for two Senate Guards to start a fire in an armory?" Ahsoka muttered. Her eyes were closed as she concentrated with her montrals, waiting.

Riyo, crouched behind her, shifted slightly. "Maybe we should've–"

Suddenly, a heavy, muted rumble echoed through the walls. Then as it faded, a shrill, blaring siren pierced the station.

Ahsoka smiled. "There it is."

"They did it."

She tightened her grip on her blaster. "Now we've got to do our part."

A few moments later, she felt what she'd been hoping for: a door sliding open down the hall, followed by the sound of a lone pair of running feet. She tensed, concentrating hard, and just as the sound was at its loudest, her montrals saw what her eyes couldn't: a Togruta running by them. Success.

She didn't move until the sounds had faded away completely, and then she sprang up and nodded to Riyo. "Let's go." She cracked open the door, scanning the hallway. It was empty.

"Coast's clear," she said, throwing the door open.

The entrance to the radio tower– and Sangos's quarters– was just down the hall. Ahsoka didn't waste any time getting to it.

"Let's hope she didn't change the password," she muttered to Riyo as she bent down to the keypad and punched in '2187.'

The door slid open, and they both breathed a sigh of relief.

"So far, so good," Riyo said as they started up the stairs.

Inside, the radio tower was empty. Ahsoka made a beeline for the transmitter, pulling out her datapad.

"See if you can figure out a way to lock that door," she said to Riyo.

"Got it." Riyo disappeared down the stairs, and Ahsoka turned her attention to finding the network for Anakin's cruiser. All while the siren continued to wail.

A few minutes later, Riyo came back up the stairs and nodded to Ahsoka.

"You did it?"

"I reset the lock. They'll have to break down the door if they want to get in."

"Great."

Riyo settled into a crouch at the other side of the room, lining her pistol up with the door. A few more tense minutes passed as Ahsoka worked her way through the system. The transmitter was an old one, and balkier than a sleepy bantha. But after a half-dozen attempts at establishing the connection, she finally got through.

"I've got them," she whispered to Riyo, turning on the microphone.

A voice crackled over the speaker.

"Unidentified transmitter, identify yourself immediately."

Ahsoka's heart leapt. She recognized that voice– it was Sixer, one of the ensigns on the bridge of the _Dynasty_ who'd been part of the 501st since the legion's inception. Best of all, he knew her. She couldn't have asked for someone better.

"Sixer?" she said urgently. "This is Ahsoka Tano!"

"What?" Sixer's voice was pure shock. "C-Commander?! Is that you?"

"It's me! Is Anakin there? I need to talk to him _immediately."_

"Of course. Give me a moment." A few seconds passed where Ahsoka heard faint shouting, and then suddenly, a new, deeper voice was in her ears.

"Ahsoka?"

"Anakin."

"It _is_ you!" Ahsoka could hear Anakin's sigh of relief through the speaker. "Thank the Force. I was getting worried."

"You're _still_ worrying about me?" Ahsoka teased, instinctively falling back into the banter with Anakin that was so easy for her.

"Hey, it's not my fault that you can be so _reckless_ sometimes," Anakin shot back.

Ahsoka smirked. "Reckless? You're the one who sent me on this mission!"

"Well, when you put it that way…" Suddenly, Anakin's tone changed. "Listen," he said, "There's something you have to know about the Jedi Order. They're–"

The fire alarm stopped.

Ahsoka lifted her head, her dread filling the space the sound had just vacated. She looked at Riyo, whose eyes were wide with trepidation. They hadn't planned for that to stop so soon.

"–you? …Ahsoka? Ahsoka? Can you hear me? AHSOKA?"

Her attention snapped back to the transmitter. "Sorry, I missed that. I don't have much time, okay? So listen carefully."

"I'm listening," Anakin said immediately.

"I've got everything that the Chancellor needs to know about the Separatist cell on Corellia. There really is a cell, and it's _big._ I'm sending everything I've got on it to you right now." She plugged her datapad into the transmitter and started the upload.

"I see it. It's downloading right now. Where are you?" Anakin asked.

"I don't know. Somewhere in Coronet City. But that's not important. I'll get out of this."

"Is Senator Chuchi with you?"

"She–" Ahsoka faltered and looked across the room at Riyo. "Yeah, she is."

The transmitter let out a _beep._ The upload was done.

"You've got everything?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yes. What _is_ this? It–"

A heavy thud sounded from down the stairs, like something had been thrown against the door.

Riyo looked at Ahsoka with an expression that clearly said _we have to go._ Ahsoka agreed.

"I've _really_ got to go, Anakin," she said. "But I'll be okay. Don't worry."

"All right. May the Force be with you, Snips."

"As with you, Skyguy."

Ahsoka shut off the transmitter and extracted her datapad. Then pulled out her pistol and shot the transmitter for good measure.

"Outside!" she said. There was an observation deck around the tower with a ladder disappearing over the edge. Hopefully, that was their ticket out. As she threw open the door outside, they were greeted by a blast of cold air and wet mist.

"Let's go!" Ahsoka said, lowering herself onto the ladder.

"Hold on. What do we do about Jorys and Edose?" Riyo asked. "Are we going to leave them there?"

Ahsoka stopped. "Oh. Hell."

Riyo threw a worried look over her shoulder. "On second thought, let's have this discussion somewhere safer."

"Good idea." Ahsoka practically flew down the ladder, with Riyo just seconds behind her, and when they reached the bottom, they didn't stop there, instead running into the sheltering darkness of the night. It wasn't until the radio tower was completely obscured by fog that they stopped.

"This isn't how it was supposed to go," Ahsoka said, gnashing her teeth in frustration. "I should've–"

Riyo stopped her. "We can't worry about that now. We've got figure out something else."

"You're right." Ahsoka took a deep breath and looked around. "I guess our only way out is back down into the building, no matter what. So if we can find the bay doors above the armory and get in through there, that'll be our best shot at finding Jorys and Edose."

"Right."

"Let's hope we don't fall off the roof."

"Very funny."

They stayed quiet for a few more seconds, catching their breath and staring at each other in the gloomy night. All Ahsoka could see was the outline of Riyo's body and the tiniest reflection of light in her irises.

Then, as she opened her mouth to say they should get moving again, a blinding pain exploded across the back of her head, and everything disappeared.

* * *

 _ **Felucia, ten minutes before**_

Normally, Anakin would say that Felucia was beautiful. From space, its surface was a glorious splash of colors, and there were few places like the bridge of the _Dynasty_ to view it. Unfortunately, he wasn't in the mood for poetics right now.

"No luck trying to land at Seeres, then?" he asked, glancing at Obi-Wan, who stood next to him.

"None whatsoever. They had ground-to-air missiles that kept most of the fleet from even getting close to the surface. Severe losses were sustained."

"Damn it." Anakin sighed. "Well, at least we've kept their blockade runners from getting through to the surface."

"It's a tough job, though, to besiege an entire planet. It can provide for itself quite sufficiently."

"True."

"I believe that Master Tiin should be with us any minute," Obi-Wan said.

"I thought he was going to Mygeeto."

"He is. He's only stopping to discuss the situation in this theatre with us."

"Well, that'll be lovely. I wonder if he'll ask me if I've seen Ahsoka, by any chance."

" _Anakin."_

"What? He'd do that. The Council has no shame."

"Well… I'm not denying that he wouldn't ask. I'm only trying to suggest that you be a little more… confident in the Council."

" _Confident?"_ Anakin gawked at Obi-Wan. "This, coming from _you,_ who just a week ago told the Council that you'd quit unless they stopped trying to destroy Ahsoka?"

"And I still feel the same way. But at the same time, we must respect them. Without them, it would be much more difficult to win this war."

"Fair." Anakin scowled. "Doesn't mean I have to like them, though. And I think that some serious changes are due once the war ends."

"As do I."

"I should– should– Uh–" Anakin turned around as he heard a commotion behind him. Something was going on in the command pit.

"What's going on down there?" he called out.

"General Skywalker!" one of the ensigns yelled. "You're not gonna believe this, but I've got Tano on the line!"

"You WHAT–" Anakin bolted across the bridge and jumped into the command pit. He grabbed the offered headset from the ensign and jammed it onto his ears. "Ahsoka?"

The voice that filled his ears relieved a fear that'd been living in him ever since he'd sent left Coruscant.

"Anakin."

"It _is_ you." Anakin laughed (an action that felt too rare lately). "Thank the Force. I was getting worried."

"You're _still_ worrying about me?"

Anakin smirked. "Hey, it's not my fault that you can be so _reckless_ sometimes."

"Reckless? You're the one who sent me on this mission!"

"Well, when you put it that way…" Then Anakin paused, his mind jumping to the Council. "Listen," he said, urgency filling his tone, "There's something you have to know about the Jedi Order. From what I've heard, they're dead-set on finding you. They sent Shaak Ti after Senator Chuchi because they thought she was with you. I've had my suspicions, but I honestly don't know. Is she with you?"

There was no reply.

"Ahsoka?" Anakin asked, tapping his headphones. "Ahsoka, can you hear me?" When again there was silence, worry spiked in him. "AHSOKA?"

To his immense relief, her voice came back. "Sorry, I missed that. I don't have much time, okay? So listen carefully."

Anakin pressed the headphones closer to his ears. "I'm listening." He glanced around wildly– _where was Obi-Wan_ – but thankfully, Sixer was a step ahead of him and recording the conversation.

"I've got everything that the Chancellor needs to know about the Separatist cell on Corellia. There really is a cell, and it's _big._ I'm sending everything I've got on it to you right now."

Anakin gestured frantically at Sixer, the ensign who'd alerted him. In reply, Sixer nodded and pointed at his screen. Anakin leaned over and saw a data file downloading.

"I see it," he said. "It's downloading right now. Where are you?"

"I don't know. Somewhere in Coronet City. But that's not important. I'll get out of this."

"Is Senator Chuchi with you?"

"She… Yeah, she is." A second later, she added, "You've got everything?"

"Yes." One file lingered long enough for Anakin to glimpse of a row of battle droids. He frowned. "What _is_ this? It looks like a full-blown garrison."

Ahsoka's reply didn't make him feel any better. "I've _really_ got to go, Anakin," she said. "But I'll be okay. Don't worry."

"All right." Anakin would have to trust that. "May the Force be with you, Snips."

"As with you, Skyguy."

There was a _click,_ and then static. Anakin pulled off his headphones and looked at Sixer. "You've got everything?"

"I believe so, General. It's a big file."

"Send that to the Chancellor now."

"Excuse the interruption, but what exactly are we sending to the Chancellor?"

Anakin bit back a curse at the new voice and looked up to see Saesee Tiin leaning over the edge of the command pit, looking at Anakin with suspicion.

"I– uh–" Anakin scrambled for an answer

Obi-Wan came up behind Tiin (so that was where he'd gone), out of his line of sight, and raised a finger to his lips while flicking his eyes to the other Jedi.

Anakin got the message and straightened up. "Master Tiin. Good to see you," he said, forcing a smile.

Tiin nodded. "Indeed, it is a pleasant occasion. Would it pain you greatly to tell me what you were discussing before I came in just now? Something that is being sent to the chancellor surely must be important enough for the Council to know, too."

 _It would pain me quite a bit, you pompous blowhard._

Of course, Anakin didn't say that, but he didn't bother to hide his displeasure in the Force. "Well, Master Tiin, it was indeed an important matter. There is an agent of the Republic on Corellia in a deep cover mission–"

"A deep cover mission? On _Corellia?"_

"Yes. And… they… have just sent me a file containing intel on a Separatist cell there. In Coronet City. Which is on Corellia."

"Yes?" Saesee Tiin arched an eyebrow. "This… cell… on Corellia… Would you care to tell me why _you_ received the intel, despite the fact that you are in orbit above Felucia, which is certainly not Corellia or even near it?"

"The Force works in mysterious ways," Anakin said, not even bothering to hide his visible annoyance.

Tiin curled his lip. "Well, Knight Skywalker, that information must be made known to the Jedi immediately. It is our right to know. If there is truly a Separatist cell of some significance on Corellia, then we will take care of it."

"What if I said that you had no right to know about this?" Skywalker asked.

"I'd say that you were committing treason," Tiin responded.

"You–" Anakin stepped forward, glaring at Tiin. Tiin stared back impassively.

A tense standoff began, with neither Jedi willing to make the next move.

Finally, Obi-Wan broke the tension.

"I'll turn on the holoprojector and patch us through to the council, then," he said, sounding more defeated than anything else.

* * *

 _ **Coruscant**_

"And you have complete confidence in your report?"

"This is as accurate as it can get, Master Windu," Shaak said, addressing the council through the holoprojector on her ship. "I traced Senator Chuchi's trail to Corellia– specifically a landing bay in Coronet City– with complete reliability. I would wager my life on the fact Tano's trail at the very least runs through Corellia, if it does not end there."

The Council, hastily assembled by Shaak's announcement that she'd followed Ahsoka's trail, was still struggling to process this news.

"So it is Corellia." Windu looked around. "This is... odd."

Agen Kolar piped up. "We still don't know why Senator Chuchi went with her."

"Well–" And here Shaak spoke up. This idea was just that– an idea, but the impressions she'd gotten from her search were enough to make it seem very realistic. "I think the answer to that may be more obvious than it seems."

Silence reigned in the room. Then Windu said, "Attachment?"

"Yes."

More silence.

Yoda tapped his stick on the floor. "A Jedi, Tano is not. Forbid her, we cannot."

"Of course," Shaak said. "I was only attempting to answer one of our questions."

"It does explain quite a bit," Ki-Adi Mundi mused. "But it specifically isn't our concern unless it becomes problematic. And there's one thing that _still_ hasn't been answered, even now that we know where she is."

His one-word question summed up the mood quite nicely.

" _Why?"_

Why had Ahsoka Tano escaped and, when she could've gone anywhere, gone to Corellia?

"Not seeing the whole picture, we are," Yoda declared. "Go to Corellia, one of us must."

"I will go," Shaak said. "I'm closer than any of us, and I am prepared to make the jump to hyperspace right now. I'm above Nubia as it is."

Windu nodded. "Excellent. Anything else to say, Master Ti?"

"I–"

Abruptly, the hologram in Kenobi's previously empty chair flickered to life. But it wasn't Kenobi that appeared. It was Skywalker, looking beyond angry.

Windu half-rose out of his chair. "Knight Skywalker–!"

"I'm not here to cause trouble," Skywalker snapped. Then he looked around, making his hologram shake. "Is this a Council meeting? What's this all about?"

"It is of no importance. Why have you taken over Master Kenobi's channel? This is a confidential frequency, and–"

"He's _right here,"_ Skywalker snapped, and indeed Kenobi was, because he was poking his head into the projection.

"I have given Anakin permission to use this frequency, because this matter is quite important, but it also does not concern me," Kenobi said, looking quite discontented, before ducking back out.

"I'll end this soon," Skywalker continued. "I'm just here to deliver some information at the demands of Master Tiin."

"I don't understand," Windu said.

"You will in a second." There was a _beep,_ and then the computer in Obi-Wan's chair ejected a small datastick.

"That's got the intel that I just received from a Republic agent in deep cover on Corellia. And that should satisfy Master Tiin completely. I was going to deliver this to the Chancellor, but he _insisted_ that I inform you all instead."

Shaak stared at Skywalker's hologram. Time seemed to slow down.

"Did you say… Corellia?" Windu asked.

"Yeah."

Now Windu was struggling to keep the urgency out of his voice. "Do you know what this intel from the agent is about?"

"See for yourself," Skywalker said bluntly.

Shaak could feel something in the Force now– something that was whispering that this was not a coincidence. And then Mace Windu did something unlike anything she'd ever seen him do before. He shut off Skywalker's holoprojector.

Immediately after, Windu pulled the datastick into his hand with the Force and plugged it into his datapad. An indeterminable time passed in utter silence as he read the file. At first, there was no reaction from him, but as the minutes wore on, his expression slowly grew more and more disbelieving, until finally, he put his datapad aside and looked up.

"This is an emergency," he said grimly. "The worst is happening as we speak."

Shaak leaned forward. "You don't mean…?" she began.

At the same time, Plo Koon said, "No. You cannot be saying..."

"See for yourselves." Windu tapped at his datapad, and then Shaak's own datapad buzzed. She picked it up, unlocked it, and opened the new file that greeted her.

The first image was jarring. It was a dim photo, but the items in the picture were clear. Battle droids. Hundreds of them.

The second picture was a row of B2 Super Battle Droids, and as she clicked through pictures, she realized that these weren't all pictures of the same group of droids– these were all different pictures, showing thousands droids, and likely much more.

The next picture was a crate of DC-11 blasters, followed by a picture of a shipping manifest for that crate, with the destination clearly marked as Felucia.

She began scrolling through the pictures faster and faster, and each one revealed a more and more dire situation. Large-scale weapons smuggling. Sensitive intel being stolen. This was unmistakable evidence that there was a powerful Separatist cell right under their noses in one of the Republic's most important population centers. But that wasn't what was most alarming. What made Shaak truly realize the gravity of the situation was when she saw the geotag for all the pictures.

Coronet City.

 _No._

"Leave for Corellia _immediately,_ Master Ti," Windu said, his voice betraying the slightest bit of unsteadiness. "We're ordering a complete freeze on all travel in and out of the planet, and we're sending five regiments to assist you. They should arrive at the planet not more than a few hours after you do. You will be commanding them. Do _not_ attempt to make a move until you have sufficient forces. You are to _capture_ Ahsoka Tano, by any means necessary, whether that be–" He stopped, and for the first time that Shaak could remember, the Grand Master was briefly overcome with emotion. "–by bringing her in alive, or– if she is so firmly entrenched in her new allegiances that there is no other way– dead."

 **So there it is. Act Two is almost over! Stuff's gonna go down in the next chapter (The name of the next chapter: The Doomsday Protocol). I'll see you guys at the next chapter, and don't forget to leave a review, because we all know that I love those. Thanks so much for reading. Air Force Muffin out.**


	22. Chapter 22: Out Of The Frying Pan

**Chapter 22: Out Of The Frying Pan**

 **Well, here it is. I can't believe I've actually gotten to this point. This is one of the chapters that I've been planning since the very beginning, and it's a huge relief to get here after a year and a half. Hope you enjoy this chapter! (It turned into the second largest chapter in this story, whoops.)**

 **You guys know the saying "out of the frying pan, into the fire?" Yeah. That's this chapter and the next one.**

 _ **Corellia**_

When Ahsoka woke up, she quickly realized that things were very, very wrong.

She was in a kneeling position on the floor, tied up tighter than a piece of bantha meat on a stick, and Sangos was standing above her, tossing an electrostaff from hand to hand. A soldier stood at either side of her, both of them armed with an assault rifle.

"Your friends created quite the fire in the armory," Sangos said casually. "And, you know, honestly, I would've put it up to an accident, but Lieutenant Travis here—" Sangos patted one of the guards, the one that Jorys and Edose had gotten friendly with. "—caught your Senate Guard cronies trying to sneak out. That's when I realized something was up."

"What did you do with them?" Ahsoka asked before she could stop herself.

"Patience, Tano. I didn't kill them, if that's what you're wondering." Sangos stopped tossing the electrostaff back and forth and glanced at Ahsoka, as if to consider using it or not, before shaking her head. "I never should've taken you or Senator Chuchi here."

 _Here?_ Belatedly, Ahsoka realized that they were back in the radio tower. Then another part of Sangos's sentence registered in her brain. _Riyo._ She looked around frantically, but Riyo was nearby, not as trussed up as her, but still with her hands bound together, and fear in her eyes.

Riyo's presence was a small comfort as Ahsoka faced Sangos again. "So what are you going to do about it?" she challenged.

Sangos opened her mouth to reply, but she was interrupted by the sound of feet pounding up the stairs. She turned to the door, raising an eyebrow, as the sound grew louder.

Another armed guard burst through the door, panting. "General! We've got a big problem!" the newcomer gasped out between heaving breaths.

Sangos frowned. "What?"

"Look out the window!"

Sangos ran to the window and proceeded to let out a loud curse, seeing something out of Ahsoka's sight. Then she threw down her electrostaff and spun around, her eyes flashing. "So you've sprung your trap on us," she snarled.

Ahsoka stared. "What?"

"For the love of —" Sangos seized Ahsoka by the shoulders and dragged her to the window. "See this?" she asked, hauling her up.

Ahsoka stared, first in confusion, and then horror.

A Star Destroyer loomed in the sky overhead, red-and-gray colors plainly visible on it. Even closer than that, a swarm of gunships was racing over them, bound for some destination on the surface. It didn't matter where, because the intent was clear. The Republic had come to Corellia.

"The Republic, come to secure the city?" Sangos said. "And they'll be expecting us, won't they?"

"No…" Ahsoka breathed, not in reply to Sangos, but in disbelief of what was happening. For the first time in her life, she was afraid of the Republic. This wasn't supposed to have happened. They were supposed to have been gone before the Republic even set foot on the planet. If they found her here… If they found _Riyo_ here…

"Travis. Put out the call," Sangos said. "We're starting the final protocol."

There was a choked cough, and then Travis said, "Sir?"

"I said, put out the call."

"But that'll—"

"I _know_ what it'll do," Sangos snapped. "This is a matter of escaping with our own lives now."

Unable to see behind her, Ahsoka could only imagine what kind of expression Travis wore as he quaveringly spoke the next words into a static-riddled comlink.

"This is Travis to all units. We're enacting the Doomsday Protocol. Save yourselves."

There was silence, and then a muffled reply came through the comlink.

"Engineering sent out the—the startup signal—sir," Travis whispered. "The droids should be active in a minute."

From below them, a faint mechanical wail echoed through the floor, scraping along Ahsoka's eardrum in a way that she hadn't experienced since her last time on a battlefield. A dull vibration, almost imperceptible, followed and didn't abate.

"Good. Travis, you're dismissed. Go make sure that all the intel's been wiped from central command, and then prep a speeder for me. Make sure it's a fast one. And then get the hell out of here."

"W-will do, sir. Thank you."

"You two, stay here," Sangos barked, presumably to the two other Separatist lackeys in the room. "We're leaving in a minute. But first, I've got unfinished business."

Then, behind Ahsoka, a blaster cocked.

"Congratulations on your successful infiltration of my cell, Tano," Sangos said, her voice growing quiet. "It's a shame the Republic won't be able to give you a medal for it."

Ahsoka's heart sped up. No. It couldn't end this way. Feeling for a way out, something, _anything,_ she turned to the Force, and—desperation became her ally in that moment; a blind impulse raced through her body, and with a jerk of her head, she _threw_ the Force behind her like a torrent.

The sound of bodies smacking into the wall was never so welcome.

She didn't know where Sangos's blaster was. But the Force did, and when she reached for it, it flew neatly into her hand. With a pull of the trigger, she shot through the binders around her wrists. Annoyingly, the ropes that bound her arms to her side at the elbow were too close to her body but.

Sangos and the two guards were motionless on the ground, Ahsoka's display of Force power evidently having been enough to knock them out cold. With the threat down, she turned her attention to Riyo. "You okay?" she asked, coming over.

For the first time, Riyo spoke, her voice clear and steady despite her evident fear. "I think so."

"Good." Ahsoka aimed her blaster at Riyo's wrist bindings. "Don't move."

The shot pierced the bindings, and Riyo sighed with relief. "Thanks. Now what?"

"We get out of here. Shouldn't be much harder than sneaking around on a Separatist ship, right?"

"Probably not."

"I want to find Jorys and Edose. Sangos said she didn't kill them."

"Ahsoka. I want to believe as much as you do that they're alive, but are you going to trust a Sith to tell you the truth?"

"Yeah, but… why wouldn't she just tell me they're dead, then?"

"Deception. To give you false hope. Maybe she's just predisposed to lying. It could be any number of reasons."

"But—"

Their exchange was stopped by the roar of an engine from outside.

"Who—" Ahsoka raced to the window, only to stop short and backpedal as soon as she saw what it was. A gunship with Republic markings was descending towards the tower, carrying a boarding party of clones and one familiar set of long Togruta lekku.

She turned away, her heart racing. "We've got company."

"Clones?"

"Worse. Shaak Ti." Ahsoka glanced at the door. "We need to move."

"Not so fast, you traitorous bastard."

Ahsoka hadn't even registered the words spoken behind her when something like a vicious punch hit her in the back, followed immediately by a searing pain exploding across her backside like lava—

She let out a weak cough, air rushing out of her lungs all at once, and toppled forwards. Dimly, she realized that this was what it felt like to be shot.

It felt like she was breathing in pure fire. Darkness was sapping the corners of her vision and pulling her down into somewhere cold and distant, until a desperate scream pierced her fading consciousness.

"NO!"

The Force suddenly warped the air around them, and then she felt a wave of pure Force energy pass over her. Not from her. Not from Sangos. From Riyo. A grunt and then a gruesome _crunch_ followed.

Now somebody was kneeling down next to her—hands were grasping her side and turning her over—

"Ahsoka—no—please—no—"

She still couldn't think through the pain that roared in every part of her body and made her heart pound too hard and she couldn't take a breath—

There was a new sound. A light _thunk._ Someone else had entered the fray—someone with a stern voice and so much surprise and horror in them that it was like they'd seen a dead man—

A word she could understand echoed through her ears, too loud and too close.

"Tano?"

With a tremendous effort, Ahsoka opened her eyes, letting out another painful cough. She barely heard Riyo's gasp of relief as she saw the scene around her.

Shaak Ti stood above them with her lightsaber drawn. Behind her, Sangos was still unconscious from the blow Ahsoka had dealt. And one of the Separatist guards was crumpled in the corner, his blaster smoking from the shot he'd fired at Ahsoka, and his neck at a grisly angle from where Riyo had hurled him against the wall with a Force-push.

Ti lowered her lightsaber, but didn't shut it off. "Tano. Senator Chuchi," she said. "It saddens me to meet you under these circumstances."

"Master Ti…" Riyo's voice was shaky as she looked for some semblance of calm. "This is a horrible misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding? You have the gall?" Ti's voice rose. "To call this a misunderstanding? When I have found you conferring with a Separatist faction in the midst of a terrorist operation? A terrorist operation that has just unleashed an army of battle droids upon a peaceful city?"

As if to punctuate her point, an explosion sounded in the distance.

"We were undercover on a mission for the Chancellor," Riyo said. "It was an assignment to investigate this cell and expose it."

"The _Chancellor_ gave you this mission?" The skepticism in Ti's voice was blatant. "Even though Tano was _explicitly_ banned from leaving Coruscant?"

"That was a punishment that she never deserved!" Riyo snapped. Judging from the horrified pulse in the Force that followed, she immediately regretted the outburst.

There was a long silence. Eventually, Riyo broke it. "Forgive me, Master Ti," she whispered. "I don't think this is the place to be speaking out of line."

"No. It is not," Ti said flatly. "The Council has good reason to believe that you are defectors. And, acting on this, I am placing you both under arrest for treason," Ti said.

Ahsoka attempted speaking for the first time with a feeble "please," only to be stifled by a violent coughing fit.

Ti paused. "Senator Chuchi, is something wrong with Tano?" she asked.

"She was shotby a Separatist soldier," Riyo said."A Separatist wouldn't do that to their own ally, would they?"

"Senator Chuchi—"

"You _must_ believe us. We were undercover. We were trying to expose this cell. Master Skywalker can back up our story. We sent him the information we gathered. He must've sent it to you afterward."

For the first time, something less suspicious and more curious emanated from Ti's Force presence. "You say Skywalker can corroborate your statement?"

"Absolutely."

"Very well. We will look into it. How severely is Tano wounded?"

"She was shot in the back," Riyo said. "I don't know if it hit anything—she's still breathing, but—"

"Let me see." And then Ti was kneeling down next to Ahsoka. "I'm going to need to cut these ropes to look at the wound. Hold still, Ahsoka."

Ahsoka was rolled back onto her stomach, and she barely even had the strength to nod as she heard a faint humming from behind her. Then a hint of warmth brushed against her back, and seconds later, her bindings fell away.

There was a moment's silence, and then something was prodding the caldera of pain in her back. She let out a hiss at the touch and tried to shrink away, but somewhere between her brain and her body, the signal to move got lost.

Ti's voice was terse. "The shot grazed her lung. She needs medical attention, but I can alleviate some of the pain and prevent further damage right now."

"Do it," Riyo said immediately.

"Of course."

Suddenly, a wonderful coolness flowed into Ahsoka's body. Her vision began to clear. The pain radiating through her chest dulled slightly, and the next breath she took felt easier. The coolness faded, leaving a much-reduced pain.

"That should be better. Can you move, Ahsoka?"

Ahsoka rolled over, encountering exponentially less pain. "Yeah. Yeah, I can move," she croaked.

"Don't strain yourself too much. You will need some time in a bacta tank to heal that."

"What did you do?" Riyo asked, her voice filled with wonder.

"Force healing," Ti replied, standing up again. Then her eyes narrowed, and her hand went back to her lightsaber. "Even if all this is some terrible misunderstanding, I have orders to take you both before the Jedi Council, and I must—"

Suddenly, she stopped, her eyes widening.

"Master—?" Ahsoka started in confusion. Then, seconds later, she realized what had happened as Ti's eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed, revealing Sangos standing behind her, wielding her electrostaff.

"You won't need to go back to the Jedi," Sangos growled, stalking forward. "Because I'm going to do their job for them." She reared back, raising the electrostaff, and thrust it down towards Ahsoka's chest.

On instinct, Ahsoka clapped her hands together, catching the staff's rod between her hands, with the tip just inches away from her chest, crackling ferociously with electricity.

"You'll have to try harder than that," she mumbled as the wound in her back screamed with pain, pushed beyond measure by her straining.

Sangos didn't reply, only shoving harder with the electrostaff, pushing the deadly tip so close to her skin that Ahsoka could feel the heat emanating from it.

Then, just before her strength gave out, an azure glow lit up her vision, and the electrostaff was sliced in two, the now-useless pieces flying away from her chest.

Riyo stood over her, pointing Shaak Ti's lightsaber directly at Sangos. "Get away from her," she said quietly.

And Sangos did move back, watching the lightsaber warily. "You should put that down, Chuchi. You don't know what you're holding," she said, much of the menace gone from her voice.

Riyo held the blade steadily, pointing it at Sangos in a decent imitation of an Ataru opening stance. She made no acknowledgement of Sangos's words.

Sangos stopped moving. Ahsoka tensed up. Riyo tightened her grip on the lightsaber.

But the attack they were expecting never came. Sangos's eye flicked to the windows for just a second, and then she turned and ran.

Ahsoka watched with no small satisfaction as Sangos burst onto the balcony and vaulted over the railing onto the roof below. Then she turned and stared at Riyo. "How did you _do_ that?" she asked, pushing herself up onto her elbows.

"I just… used the Force?" Riyo turned off the lightsaber and stared contemplatively at the hilt. "I saw the lightsaber… I wanted it in my hands… and then it was in my hands."

"Wow." Ahsoka gave her an admiring glance. "You're really coming along, you know."

"Thank you."

It wasn't really the time for congratulations, though, as Ahsoka remembered Master Ti's state. "Oh, Force," she muttered, crawling over to the Togruta's motionless body. "Please…"

The Jedi Master was breathing. But only faintly.

"Is she…?" Riyo asked nervously.

"No. But that electrostaff did a number on her. Sangos was swinging to kill. If she'd hit Ti near the heart…" Ahsoka sucked in a breath. "She'll live. But she's down for a while."

They stared at Ti's unconscious body. Another explosion rumbled in the distance.

"We can't just leave her here," Riyo said suddenly. "Who —or _what—_ could find her here?"

"I know."

"Can we… can we carry her? If we do it together?"

Ahsoka winced. "Sorry, but I'm going to have trouble just _standing up."_

"And I can't pick her up on my own."

"Can't leave her behind, can't bring her with us…" Ahsoka exhaled. "Guess we're stuck here. Hey, Riyo?"

Riyo looked up quizzically.

"She's going to arrest us when she comes to."

"I know."

"And you're _okay_ with it?"

"Do you see any way out of this that doesn't involve leaving her vulnerable?"

"I guess not!" Ahsoka threw up her hands, only to immediately regret the decision as her back protested. "Maybe staying with her will be enough to convince her that we haven't done anything wrong."

"Well— "Riyo's eyes shifted to the corner. "I—"

Ahsoka followed Riyo's gaze and saw the Separatist that had shot her. She barely needed to look into the Force to know what Riyo had done.

"He's dead," she said.

"He shot you. I thought he'd killed you… so I tried to do what you did when Sangos was about to shoot you." Riyo's voice cracked. "And I _killed_ him."

"That's what _happens_ when you're fighting in a war. You kill people in self-defense that maybe you didn't want to kill. That's not a crime anywhere except in your own soul."

"I've never killed anyone with my own hands like that." Riyo's breath was speeding up, her pupils were dilating, and her hands were starting to shake. Ahsoka knew a panic attack when she saw one coming.

Then, suddenly, there was a heavy _thump_ from the door.

The raw emotion stealing onto Riyo's expression vanished as she turned to the new sound, drawing Ti's lightsaber again.

A voice, loud and demanding, came from outside.

"If you're lying about this, I'll put a bolt through your brain!"

A much more frantic voice replied. "I'm not! I'm not! Tano and Chuchi were in there when I left!"

Ahsoka didn't recognize the second voice, but the first one—

"Jorys?!" she yelled.

The pounding stopped. "Tano? You're in there?" Jorys yelled back.

"Yes!"

"Hang on—" said the other voice with a grunt. "I think I got this—"

The door swung open, revealing a bruised, bloodied, and rifle-wielding Jorys on the steps, with Edose behind her, in equal condition and armament. Travis, the Separatist that had left the tower just minutes before, stood next to them with a very fresh-looking black eye.

Jorys's eyes roamed over the scene, stopping at Shaak Ti. "Is that—"

"Yeah, it's a Jedi Master. Long story," Ahsoka said.

"…You guys know that we don't have to pretend to be Separatists anymore, right?" Jorys asked.

"Sangos did this," Ahsoka said.

"Where is she?"

"No idea. We scared her away."

"I'm starting to think she only ran because there was no way she could kill us quickly enough and still have time for a clean escape," Riyo interjected.

"Well. Um." Ahsoka blinked. "Guess that means we should leave, too?"

"How? I don't mean to alarm you, but Travis says that this place is probably surrounded by clones by now. A big giant droid army will get noticed pretty fast."

"Actually—" Ahsoka looked at Travis, who'd been standing quietly. "Why's he with you guys?"

Jorys shrugged. "He freed us a few minutes ago and took us here. Says he wants to help us. I believe him."

"I'm done with the Separatists," Travis said hurriedly. "I didn't join the Confederacy to unleash destruction on my home."

"Oh, you're _just_ realizing that?" Jorys said, irritation filling her voice. "Couldn't you have had a change of heart _before_ you whacked me over the head with a pipe?"

"Not the time, Jorys," Edose said.

"Right," Jorys said, deflating.

"Hey. You." Ahsoka gestured at Travis. "Do you know a good way out of here? Somewhere we can avoid battle droids _and_ clone troopers?"

"There's a tunnel in the armory that comes out five blocks west of this place."

"Great. You show us the way to that tunnel, and we'll make sure you get out of here safely. Deal?"

Travis nodded. "Deal."

"Great. Jorys, can you carry a Jedi Master?"

"Can I?" Jorys smirked. "You've never seen me weightlifting, have you? Piece of cake." She unhooked her rifle from her shoulder. "Somebody this."

"I'll take it," Ahsoka said.

"Thanks."

As Jorys knelt down to pick up Ti, Ahsoka turned to the door. "Let's—"

She stopped, remembering something. Sangos's lightsaber crystals. There was no way she was leaving them behind.

"Wait," she said, before turning and sprinting to Sangos's quarters as fast as her injury would allow.

Where did Sangos keep them? There was a bed, a desk, some computers, and a closet—

"Tano?" Jorys called from outside. "We need to go."

"One second!" Ahsoka called as she yanked open a drawer on the desk at random. No luck. Were the crystals even here?

 _Try to think like her. Where would I put my lightsaber crystals if I was a Sith?_

Maybe the Force would help her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, listening for a hint.

She heard a tiny _thrum_ , like a lightsaber somewhere far away had ignited. She turned to the sound and opened her eyes to see—

The door?

Ahsoka stepped forward and swung it shut. Dangling from a hook on the other side was the pouch.

 _Hanging from the door. What do you know?_ She grabbed the pouch and paused just long enough to make sure the crystals were there, and rushed back out, stuffing the pouch into her pocket. She took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pulsing pain in her back. "All right. Let's get moving."

* * *

Minutes later, the lights in the warehouse went out, leaving them fumbling around in dark hallways as they made their way down to the armory. Ti still hadn't regained consciousness, and the pain in Ahsoka's wound was getting worse again. The sound of explosions from outside wasn't just getting louder and more frequent; they were getting close enough that the vibrations were shaking her lekku.

Other than that, their escape was going reasonably well. They'd even gotten to the tunnel without further trouble.

Just after they'd entered the tunnel, one especially close explosion rattled the ceiling tiles above them.

Travis spoke up from the rear. "Sounds like they're bombing the warehouse. Let's hope the building holds up."

Ahsoka sped up until she was walking alongside Riyo, who was leading the way with Ti's lightsaber. "Riyo, what are we going to do when we get out of here?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know," Riyo said.

"We're fugitives." The Jedi knew where she was, and now they wouldn't waste any time going after her if she escaped again. "We need to clear our names."

"The only way to do that is to go back to Coruscant and convince the Jedi Order that we're innocent. We might as well let Master Ti arrest us when she wakes up."

"And be taken before the Jedi like we're some sort of criminals?" Ahsoka shook her head viciously. "No. I want to face them on my own terms. We have to get back to our ship."

"But then what?"

"Um… There's a radio on our ship, right? Is there any way you can contact the Chancellor? He could understand our situation, since he gave Anakin this mission. You're a senator, don't you have a direct line to him?"

"I have a direct way to his office, if that's what you mean. But the odds of actually managing to get through to him… Not good."

"We have to try."

"Well… I can try to get through to him. But what do we do if I can't reach him?"

"Then…" Ahsoka thought for a minute. "Anakin. I can get in touch with him, and he can testify that we were following his mission."

"Hopefully, the Council will listen."

"They have to. We didn't do anything wrong."

"We'll get through this, Ahsoka." Riyo's hand slipped into hers. "Somehow."

"I know."

Then another explosion shook the tunnel, this one feeling closer than anything before. So much so, in fact, that Ahsoka nearly lost her footing. There was a deep booming from above, one that echoed in her chest and made her realize something was very wrong.

 _CRASH._

A massive cloud of dust filled the tunnel, blacking out her vision. There was a scream, and then Jorys was yelling.

"Chuchi, point that lightsaber behind you! I think something happened to Travis!"

The blue light swung over, and through the swirling dust, Ahsoka managed to see what'd happened. Her heart dropped. Behind them, the tunnel had collapsed in a cascade of dirt and debris, and there was no sign of Travis.

"We've got to move!" Edose said. "The rest of this tunnel could collapse any second!"

The four of them turned and ran, with the shaking underfoot only intensifying the closer they got to the end. They went up a flight of stairs, threw open a door, and then Ahsoka noticed five things as they burst into their new surroundings.

They were in a speeder garage.

There were people in the garage.

Those people were surrounded by battle droids.

The battle droids had just noticed Ahsoka, Riyo, Jorys, and Edose.

That was a _lot_ of battle droids.

In a move she would regret in a few seconds, Ahsoka took a flying leap and tackled Riyo behind a nearby speeder. Landing on the ground was like getting a knife pushed into her wound again, but it was worth it as a volley of red bolts whizzed overhead, missing her and, more importantly, Riyo.

Jorys and Edose had dove behind another speeder, putting Ti safely out of harm's way.

Ahsoka unhooked her rifle from her back and peered over the speeder. Edose was already returning fire. There were about fifty droids, and they were all firing at them. If only she had her lightsabers… these droids would be scrap in a few seconds.

She gritted her teeth. Not the time to think about that. She closed her eyes and concentrated, drawing on the Force.

 _Three… Two… One…_

She peeked over the top of the speeder and began firing her rifle with deadly, Force-honed accuracy, aiming for the row of droids closest to her.

The Force burned in her head, whispering a warning. _Left side._

A dodge to the right avoided that.

 _Head._

She ducked down and, as soon as the shot passed over, popped back up and shot the droid that'd fired the shot.

She was a good shot. So was Edose. Within a minute, the room was empty of functioning droids.

"We're going to have a hard time if there's more where that came from," Edose said as he stood up. "Do you have any ammo clips, Jorys? I'm almost out."

"No. Sorry."

"I've got six more shots."

As Jorys knelt down to pick up Ti again, she looked up at Ahsoka. "Hey, Tano, just where are we headed? Shouldn't we get the Jedi back to her regiment?"

"Uh… well…" Ahsoka let out a nervous laugh. "I've got some bad news, you guys. The Jedi Council thinks we're traitors."

Jorys and Edose blinked.

"So I have to get back to Coruscant without being captured and explain our situation to the Jedi so they don't try to arrest me."

Jorys heaved a sigh. "I swear to the gods, Tano, you've cut ten years off my lifespan in the last two weeks. So are we going on the run from the Republic until our names are cleared?"

"I think the Chancellor can get us out of this mess if we can contact him somehow."

"Right, nothing to it at all. Just call up the most powerful man in the galaxy and ask him to pardon you for treason. Easy!" Then Jorys glanced at Ti. "But what are we doing with this Jedi? I have to say, I draw the line at taking hostages."

"Um…" Ahsoka glanced at the group of people they'd just freed from the droids, and thankfully, she sensed trustworthiness. "Hey, you guys… Would you mind doing us a favor?"

* * *

With Ti and her lightsaber left safely with the civilians and once ensured that a battalion of clones was on its way to pick the Jedi up, Ahsoka, Riyo, Jorys, and Edose fled the scene, headed for their ship.

However, when they entered their hangar, their plans changed in a hurry when Jorys, leading the way in, saw something and began backtracking wildly.

"BACK! BACK!" she hissed, pushing them away from the entrance.

"What is it?" Riyo asked.

"Our ship. It's surrounded by clones."

"What?" Ahsoka peeked around the door. Sure enough, at least forty clones, all armed, were milling around the ship in a tight perimeter. She drew back with a curse. "How did they find our ship?"

"There's a lot of hiding spots here," Jorys said, looking up and down the street. "If we make a distraction, maybe that'll draw some of them away, and then—"

Ahsoka shook her head. "No. That's a battle we can't win."

"But then what are we supposed to do?"

"Well…" Ahsoka stopped in her tracks, remembering something. "There's one more place we can try. He's unreliable, but it's the only thing we've got. Anyone know where the Keuchelister Docks are?"

* * *

"The smuggler that left you behind?" Riyo asked as she stared at the YT-1300 freighter that was becoming annoyingly familiar to Ahsoka. "That's who's going to give us a ride out of here?"

"He owes me one, and he knows it," Ahsoka said. She couldn't see Rosgrest anywhere, but the boarding ramp was down. "If he refuses, we'll just steal the ship from him."

"Sticking to those Jedi values, huh?" Jorys remarked. "I'm game."

Ahsoka walked up to the boarding ramp and banged on one of the landing supports. After a few seconds with no reply, she hit it again.

"All right, all right, I'm coming," came Rosgrest's annoyed voice from inside. "I'm not a doorman, have some pa—" Rosgrest walked out onto the ramp, wiping his hands on a rag, and stopped short as he saw her. "Oh. Hello."

Ahsoka put her hands on her hips. "I have to ask. How in the _Force_ did you get out of that warehouse?"

Rosgrest laughed nervously. "Ah, it's a bit of a long story, I snuck out a third-floor window, but that's not really important… You're not sore about me leaving you all behind, are you?"

"Kind of, but that's not why I'm here."

"Come to collect the things you left on my ship, have you?"

"Gonna need a little more than that. We need a ride out of here."

Rosgrest froze. "Say what now?"

"The four of us need a lift out of here. I think, after you ditched me on Coruscant, you've got a debt to settle."

"I—Fine. Fair. I owe _you_ a ride. But those three—" He looked over Ahsoka's shoulder.

"Oh, them?" Ahsoka jerked a thumb over her shoulder at them. "Just a Senate Guard who will shoot you, another Senate Guard who will shoot you, and a Galactic Senator who will put you to work in the Kessel spice mines for ten years and then shoot you when you get out. They're coming with me."

Rosgrest threw up his hands. "I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"No." Ahsoka started up the boarding ramp. "Got a radio?"

* * *

Once inside, Ahsoka made a beeline for the lockers. It'd only been two weeks since she put her bag of belongings in this ship, hoping to get to Cato Neimoidia in time to make a difference in the war. The battle for Cato Neimoidia was still going, but somehow, she'd managed to find something even more exciting. Go figure.

She'd left her stuff in the locker on the bottom—the gift from Anakin, her datapad, her credits, and the three pictures. She knelt down and pulled on the handle. It didn't budge. Frowning, she pulled harder. Nothing. There was a little keypad next to the locker, but it hadn't needed a passcode before…

She ran back to the cockpit.

"Hey, what's the passcode for the lockers?" she asked to Rosgrest.

Rosgrest looked up from where he was fiddling with the radio dials. "The _what_ for the lockers?" he asked. "I don't use passwords."

"Well, the ones next to the bunk beds aren't opening."

"Now why would that…?" Rosgrest trailed off. Then he snapped his fingers. "Oh, right. I reset the ship's software last week. That would've reset the passcodes to the default, and the default would be…" He trailed off again, a look of alarm growing on his face. "Oh, no."

Ahsoka fought down an urge to wring his neck. "Please don't tell me that you don't know."

"It's right in the software manual! And I have the manual! It's in—" He stopped. "Uh. Er. Um."

Ahsoka stepped forward, her heart pounding, but a sudden sharp pain lanced through her chest, and she sank to her knees, suddenly finding it a lot harder to breathe.

"Ahsoka?" Riyo's voice sounded like it was echoing through a pipe.

Dizziness swept over Ahsoka as she looked up. "My wound—"

"We need first aid supplies," Riyo said to Rosgrest. "Immediately."

"I've got a little medbay between the bunkroom and the engine bay," was the reply.

"Thank you. Ahsoka, can you stand up?"

Finding it hard again to form words, Ahsoka simply nodded and struggled to her feet.

"What's wrong with Tano?" came Jorys's voice.

"She was shot," Riyo answered.

"WHAT? _When?"_

"When we were in the tower with Sangos."

As Ahsoka turned around to leave, she heard a gasp from Jorys and Edose.

"How are you _alive_ right now, Tano? Let alone _walking around!"_

Then the pain took over Ahsoka's mind to the point where she didn't really process much else until she was on her back on an uncomfortable bed, with a bright light shining overhead.

"Stay still," Riyo was saying. Something cold was pressed to Ahsoka's back, directly on her wound.

She hissed at the initial pain, but after a few seconds, it receded. It was a bacta patch, she realized, as the pain in her wound began to diminish. In just minutes, she could think clearly again.

"Don't roll over yet," Riyo said. "We've got to give the patch a minute to set."

"Got it," Ahsoka said, her voice finally cooperating again. "I didn't realize you knew first aid."

"I took a course in it when I was in a military academy on Pantora," Riyo answered.

"Neat. So how badly am I hurt?" Ahsoka asked.

"You'll pull through." Then Riyo's voice turned tense. "But I'd feel better if we got you to a medcenter soon. I don't know what kind of internal injuries you have. You might need a bacta tank."

"Am I fine for now?"

"Probably. But you _cannot_ strain yourself anymore. That wound needs to heal."

"Right."

"I think we're almost through this. We just need to prove our innocence now. Then you can get some proper care."

 _Our_ innocence. Those words reminded Ahsoka of just what she'd gotten Riyo into.

"I'm sorry," she said abruptly. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this, Riyo."

"Don't be sorry."

"This is all my fault. If I hadn't wanted to be a hero so badly and end the war, then you wouldn't be here."

"Ahsoka. Sit up. The patch will hold now."

Ahsoka turned over and faced Riyo.

"I made a choice to join you," Riyo said. "I knew _exactly_ what I was getting into."

"But it's still my fault that we're in this situation."

"We stopped Sangos and her operation. That's invaluable. Do you know how much faster the war might end, now that the Separatists aren't getting inside information on every work of Republic engineering?"

"But if it comes out that the Jedi Order suspects us of treason, you'll—your career's going to be ruined. Because of _me."_ Ahsoka was fighting back tears now, and it was a horrible feeling. "I don't deserve to be with you if that happens."

"Stop."

Before Ahsoka could react, Riyo gave her a firm hug.

"Don't even think like that. You have _nothing_ to be sorry for. None of this is your fault. The Jedi are the ones who are in the wrong right now."

"I—I know. But I can't _do_ anything about this. They're too powerful right now."

Riyo pulled back. "This can't go on forever. Once the war's over, they'll have to lift your parole. Otherwise, I _will_ bring a lawsuit forward."

Ahsoka couldn't help smiling a tiny bit at that. "Thank you. I hope it doesn't get to that. Because Force knows how long it'll take a case to go through the mess that is the Republic High Courts."

"True. How are you feeling?"

"Better. I think the bacta patch is working."

"You should go to sleep. We're safe for at least a few hours. I'll keep trying to contact the Chancellor."

"Sure." Ahsoka turned over and laid down on the bed, closing her eyes. She didn't really want to fall asleep. There was an army and a Jedi master searching for her, and they were still too close to danger, but in the end, it was too easy to surrender to sleep.

* * *

A shaking pulled Ahsoka out of a deep sleep, and she opened her eyes to see Riyo at her elbow.

"Ahsoka, we've got a situation," she said.

"W—What?" Ahsoka mumbled, blinking.

"We're in the air." Riyo said. "The Republic found us."

That woke Ahsoka up. "What happened? Was there a fight?"

"A company of clones came into the hangar, and we took evasive action before anything could happen"

"Okay." Ahsoka sat up and swung her legs off the bed. "Where are we right now?"

"Somewhere over the ocean. No sign of any fighters on our tail yet."

"We need to get off the planet." With that, she ran for the cockpit.

If they'd been found on the ground, it would only be a matter of time before someone got on their tail in the air. Corellia was getting too hot. They needed to go somewhere else.

She threw open the door to the cockpit, with Riyo right behind her. It was getting crowded with five people in there at once

"Any luck getting the Chancellor?" Ahsoka asked to Riyo.

Riyo shook her head. "Nothing. I've been using my clearance codes for the last two hours, but I'm only getting a busy signal."

"Just keep trying. There's nothing else we can do."

"Hey, we've got trouble on the radar," Edose said. "Eight ships incoming behind us."

" _Eight?!"_ Rosgrest glanced over. "Friendly ships?"

"Probably Republic navy," Ahsoka replied. Seconds later, she was proven right when a Z-95 flashed by.

"Maybe they think we're lost?" Rosgrest suggested hopefully.

That optimism was killed a few seconds later when a laser flashed over them.

"So, not friendly?" Rosgrest yanked the controls to the left. "Great! This is Coruscant all over again! Somebody hit the shields!"

Ahsoka went for the button, only to pause. "Wait—you know those huge modifications you bragged about?"

"Of course!"

"How about USING them this time?"

"Good idea!" Rosgrest started flipping a row of switches.

"You mind hurrying up?" Ahsoka asked, eyeing the increasing swarm of Z-95s around them.

After checking a dubiously taped-on dial, Rosgrest pulled a lever under the dashboard and popped back up, grabbing the throttle. "It should kick in any second now!"

Nothing happened. Another volley of lasers went over, one shot just missing the cockpit's windshield.

"Please…" Ahsoka muttered.

The engines let out a deep rumble, sending a vibration through the ship

"Hang on!" Rosgrest slammed the throttle down, and the ship leapt forward, nearly throwing Ahsoka to the ground. She steadied herself just in time to see the Z-95s falling behind them.

"We're outrunning them!" she exclaimed. "How is that _possible?"_

Rosgrest patted the controls. "Don't underestimate this hunk of junk!"

"How old is it?" Jorys asked, looking around the cockpit. "It sure looks like a YT-1300 to me."

"It _is_ a YT-1300."

"But that would make it—"

"It's about seventy years old, give or take a few."

"My gods," Edose muttered. "There's no way this is spaceworthy."

"Just watch." Rosgrest patted the dashboard. "The Falcon may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts."

"The Falcon?" Ahsoka frowned in confusion. "I thought this ship was the _Screaming Japnek."_

"Oh, that." Rosgrest shrugged. "I had to change the name after the incident on Coruscant. For safety reasons. Now this ship is named the _Millennium Falcon."_

"Not bad. It's got a nice ring to it." Ahsoka commented.

"So where are we headed, anyway?"

There was no answer, and after a moment, Ahsoka realized everyone was looking at her.

"Coruscant," she said finally.

Riyo, Jorys, and Edose gave her looks of almost identical disbelief.

"I'm done with this," Ahsoka said. She was tired of running from the Jedi all the time. It was time to go to them and find out exactly what they wanted with her. "If the Jedi want me, they'll get me. All that matters is that I haven't done anything wrong."

Riyo stood up, but Ahsoka held up a hand, stopping her. "You can't change my mind," she said, looking directly at Riyo. "It's my decision."

Nobody challenged that. The Z-95 fighters were just dots on the horizon now.

"I'll plot a course," Rosgrest said, turning to the navcomputer. "Shouldn't take more than a minute."

"You should get back to the medbay, Ahsoka," Riyo said, standing up. "I'll go with you."

"Sure."

The medbay was just a short walk away, but Ahsoka could guess that Riyo wanted to say something to her, so she didn't protest. However, before they could even get out the door, a blaring alarm filled the cockpit.

Ahsoka stopped short. "What is _that?"_

Rosgrest stared at the instrument panel. "…Somebody opened the boarding ramp?"

It didn't take a genius to realize that none of them could've done it.

Jorys picked up her rifle. "I'm checking this out. Edose, stay here with Rosgrest."

"I'll come," Ahsoka and Riyo said simultaneously.

Jorys stared at them. "See, this is one time when I wish you guys could take it easy." She pointed at Ahsoka. "Tano, you've got a kriffing _crater_ in your back. How are you going to win any sort of fight right now?"

"I'll use the Force."

"Oh, right." Jorys rolled her eyes. "How could I forget? You Jedi could win an arm wrestling match with no arms. Fine, you can come. However—" Her eyes shifted to Riyo. "—Senator, I'm going to say this is too dangerous to let you near it."

Riyo opened her mouth to protest, but Jorys shook her head. "I'm a Senate Guard, for crying out loud. How's it going to look on my resume when I let a senator fall forty thousand feet to her death? I'm gonna have a hard time explaining to four billion grieving Pantorans that I couldn't protect you."

That seemed to stop Riyo.

"If you want to help out and not stress me out, go make sure there's nobody in the forward hold. At least that way you won't fall to your death," Jorys added.

Riyo nodded. "I'll do that."

"Good. Let's move."

As Ahsoka and Jorys entered the main corridor, a breeze hit their faces. Generally, spaceships had a distinct lack of breezes. So it wasn't just a faulty instrument reading.

The breeze turned into an all-out gale as they rounded a corner. The boarding ramp wide open, and there was nobody in sight.

"…What in the Force?" Ahsoka said, staring. "Did it just _fall_ open?"

"This ship is such a piece of junk that it wouldn't surprise me," Jorys said, turning to the control panel. "Controls look fine," she said. "Let's see if it goes back up."

But as she reached for the button, a voice snarled from behind them.

"Don't touch that."

They whipped around. Mia Sangos was standing there, holding her arm around Riyo's neck and pressing a blaster to the side of her head.

"Put the gun down!" Jorys barked, raising her rifle.

"Not likely." Sangos stepped forward, pulling Riyo with her. "Move aside, you two," she said.

Ahsoka glanced back at the open air behind her. "If you think I'm moving, you're out of your mind."

Sangos rolled her eyes. "Relax, Tano. I'm not going to do anything with Chuchi."

"Forgive me if I don't believe that," Ahsoka growled.

"Fine, then. I'm just using her to make sure you listen to me. As soon as I've said what I want to say, I'm letting her go."

"Why?" Ahsoka glanced at Jorys, who looked as unsure as she felt. What was Sangos trying to pull?

"I've made a mistake, Tano," Sangos said. "I picked the wrong side."

"That's right. Dooku's going to lose this war."

Sangos shook her head. "No. It goes deeper than Dooku. The real one, he's going to rule the galaxy, you see? And I won't be a part of it because I was too weak."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Well." Sangos stood up straighter. "I've failed. There's nothing left for me. That's all."

She shoved Riyo towards Ahsoka. Ahsoka caught her, barely stumbling, but the distraction was enough for Sangos to dart past her, knocking Jorys aside, and get to the open boarding ramp. She stood at the edge, her back to the sky, gazing at Ahsoka.

As Ahsoka steadied herself and Riyo, some small part of her realized what Sangos was about to do. "Hey—" she started, reaching out.

"You're a good person, Ahsoka," Sangos said. "You're not like the rest of the Jedi. Keep it that way."

With that, she threw her arms out and fell backwards. It was like slow motion at first, her body slowly dropping backwards, until her feet left the boarding ramp, and the wind caught her, sending her plummeting towards the ocean below.

For a long time, the only noise was the wind rushing around them as they watched Sangos fall away.

"Close the boarding ramp," Ahsoka said finally. Her voice felt oddly thick. "We're done here."

* * *

It wasn't until she was halfway down the sky that Mia Sangos remembered something.

"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."

It was a lesson that Yoda, that damned green troll, had impressed into her so forcefully as a youngling that she could still remember it years later. She hated it. How it actually went was more like fear led to anger, and then anger led to people actually _doing_ things about their problems. Not hatred, and certainly not suffering.

But now something beyond belief was occurring to her all at once.

Her death had become inevitable as soon as the Republic ships darkened the skies over Corellia. Sidious would have no need for her in the new empire he was building, and he was not hesitant to dispose of his useless tools. Her only choice had been on whose terms she would end it.

But to come to this…

Fear of the Jedi, once in the Confederacy as war roiled the galaxy.

Anger, as she swore loyalty to her new master and joined the war.

Hatred, as she learned to infiltrate Corellia like a cancer, and did everything in her power to carry out her master's orders.

Suffering, in the too-brief knowledge that she wouldn't live to see a galaxy free from evil like she'd dreamed of, because she had failed at her task.

Yoda was right. The Dark Side had gained her nothing.

Except…

She turned her eyes towards the ship, now a distant speck above her. _She_ had gained nothing. But as for others… Ahsoka Tano. Riyo Chuchi. Maybe they would have the strength she lacked. She'd carried out her master's orders to perfection. But had she done it? Her last thoughts, her last feelings, her last actions—she'd pushed it all onto them. It would have to be enough. They were the only hope.

 **From here on out, we're done with Corellia. Act Two is almost over—it'll end in Chapter 23: Into The Fire. Then Chapter 24: A Senator's Last Stand is the beginning of Act Three, the short four-or-five-chapter act that'll form the bridge to the Revenge Of The Sith part of this story, which is the fourth and final act of this story. Sequels are planned, don't forget.**

 **I just noticed that this chapter put APSCF over one hundred thousand words. Talk about a landmark.** **There's still so much left, and this is going to be so much fun. Any questions? Ask away. Don't forget to leave a review, because you know by now that I love those. Thank you. Air Force Muffin out.**


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